(La Porte County, IN) - Some farmers in the area will have to do some replanting to replace crops waterlogged from as much as three times the normal amount of rain in June.

 

Matt Goetz said 11 inches of rain has fallen on his farm about five miles east of Valparaiso since early this month.

 

“It’s just been relentless,” he said.

 

Goetz farms ground mostly in east-central Porter County with some fields further north in Porter and La Porte counties.  He said none of his fields are completely underwater but there’s considerable ponding that has drowned some of his corn and soybean plants especially in the low lying areas.

 

He said it’s too late in the season to replant corn but there’s still a few weeks left to replant soybeans but only if it stops raining for about a week to let the fields too wet to travel on dry out.

 

“We have some spots where we’ll probably try it when the opportunity arises,” he said.

 

Mark Parkman has lost some of his corn and soybeans in the Westville area to standing water in his heavy clay soil but he’s decided not to replant.

 

“Many of the low holes are full of water even where you have stand pipes to drain it.  We’ve had plenty,” he said.

 

Parkman said the cost of replanting and the damage heavy machinery could do to some of the surviving crops were among the factors in his decision.

 

“You might not be money ahead to do it,” he said.

 

Parkman said he also didn’t want to take the risk of replanting then having those plants die if the rainy conditions persist.

 

“Whatever we got there right now is the way it’s going to be,” he said.

 

Jeff Mitzner of Wanatah said he also has some ponding in his fields but he has no plans right now to do any replanting.  Mitzner said his farm hasn’t received as much rain as some of the surrounding areas but he’s still way above normal at over six inches.

 

“We’ve been getting showers but not drowning showers.  It’s just enough to be a pain,” he said.

 

His soil being more sandy drains better, which has helped to limit the damage to his corn and soybeans.  Mitzner said his fields were still dry enough to run sprayers Saturday and Sunday with just a few problems caused by the wet ground.

 

“We were getting across everything pretty decently,” he said.

 

Farmers say an extended dry period and major warm up are needed most right now.

 

“We need more sunshine.  We need some 85 degree days.  Crops don’t develop very quickly when you’re 69 and 72 degrees every day,” Goetz said.