Recent rain not drought-busting for Kansas farmers

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — Last week’s rain was a welcome sight for farmers in the Sunflower State, but it wasn’t enough to beat the drought.

Mount Hope saw very little rain last week.

Farmer Kent Winter said while they are thankful for every drop they get, it only bought them some time, and they need more rain if they want a healthy crop to harvest.

“A couple of tenths just does not move the needle in terms of this drought situation that we are in,” said Kent Winter, who farms near Andale and Mount Hope.

Winter said this is the driest it has been this time of year in the 40 years he’s been farming.

“The bushels are declining by the day,” said Winter.

Down the road in Garden Plain, rain is also needed.

“If you pull a whole clump out this time of year, we could get a much bigger ball of dirt and stuff but it basically just breaks off,” said Garden Plain Farmer Martin Kerschen.

Kerschen said his winter wheat is holding on.

He is used to harvesting about 75 bushels per acre but isn’t sure that will happen this year.

“I would say as of right now if it doesn’t rain this week, we are about a fourth of our average, but that is, we will take what we can get,” said Kerschen.

Farmers are working to beat the drought conditions.

Winter is using an irrigation system on one field.

“We’ve made five sweeps so far. That is a record for me. Most years, you don’t have to put anything on the wheat crop,” said Winter.

As for other crops, both farmers have planted their corn.

Kerschen said his corn is doing well now but will need more rain soon and later in July.

Both farmers plan to harvest their winter wheat in June.

They said with the crop being shorter this year, it will likely be a quick harvest, but that change if we get more rain.