Harvest planning begins as farmers wait for fields to dry following consistent September rain

An abundance of rain earlier in the month and most cornfields nearing top maturity in the area has led to a waiting game for farmers.

Angie Rieck-Hinz, field agronomist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, said that the 4.72 inches of rain that fell from Sept. 7 through Sept. 11 rocketed the area up towards its normal precipitation levels for the year, falling just 3.06 inches behind the average from April 1 to Sept. 17. While the rain fell a little too late to benefit the crops this year, she said it will provide a boost heading into next year’s planting season.