ABERDEEN (AP) - Farmers in northeastern South Dakota say a recent round of rain has helped their corn crops after weeks of drought.
Greg Odde, who farms between Ellendale, North Dakota, and Huron, told the Aberdeen News that the rain on Sunday and Monday morning hit a lot of dry spots that were missed by other rainfalls this season.
He said crops in the area were in a critical state, as some places have gone up to 14 days without any rain and have been hit by heat and wind.
"This rain couldn't have been more timely," Odde said.
Laura Edwards, a South Dakota State University extension climate field specialist, also said the moisture was greatly needed.
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"This rain is really improving the major drought we've been dealing with," Edwards said. "We aren't having any flooding in any of the fields, just some puddles. We got the perfect amount of rain."
Edwards said that this time of year is crucial for crops, particularly corn.
"Next week starts the pollination stage of corn, so it needs a lot of water," Edwards said. "The rain we've gotten will soak in well and really help the crops."
Odde said a couple of his fields have standing water, but that he's expecting it to soak in soon.
Odde added that the corn crops are developing earlier than usual and that harvest is likely to be early. He said the crops will still need another 2 inches of rain in a couple of weeks.
