“I say it’s going to be ready-set-go when the weather is ready, but right now, the ground is just too cold to do anything.”
Angie Ullness is the UW-Extension Agricultural Agent for Manitowoc County. Speaking to Seehafer News, she says the combined rain and melted snow amount is anywhere from 2 to 3″ above normal.
“If we have a continued stretch of colder weather, like we’re having this week and colder nights, that could affect the hay as it’s developing here into May.” She added, “As it’s looking now, we’re not anywhere near getting into the fields anytime before the 8th or 9th of May. With this extended forecast, it’s way too cold to plant corn.”
Some good news, says Ullness, is the winter wheat and rye crops are “looking good.”
“There’s a lot of fields across the county that are really looking good, a lot of really good winter wheat. Also, the winter rye is coming along really nicely here. Such vibrant green and it’s really starting to take off!”
In addition, wheat and rye prices are looking favorable to make “a nice profit” But, to ensure a great 2022 growing season, the County’s top AG expert says “we need to warm up and soon.”
“A lot of times in Manitowoc County, you’ll see hay vines out and people starting to cut hay there the last week of May. If that’s going to be the case this year, we’ll have to wait and see as we get through the first half of May and how it’s growing. We definitely need some warmth and some sunshine. That would help everyone’s mood.”
In 2020, Manitowoc County’s 59,000 cattle produced 1.646 billion pounds of milk, the most in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, agriculture is the second leading financial entity in the county, only behind manufacturing.
