Corn and oats must be planted by May 15, said Donald LaPierre, executive director for the USDA in Clinton and Essex counties. Local grain must go in by May 15. After that, there s a loss of one bushel per acre for every day you re late. In others words, the planting window can shift, but it still needs to remain open the minimum amount. Animal husbandry will also be affected by the weather, she said.
Pastures can t get green enough for grazing without sunlight being able to hit the ground.
Last year some crops didn t get planted due to moisture, she said, and hay, mostly late and containing low energy value because it was grown in cool, cloudy, conditions, was of little value. That meant dairy farmers and others had to go to the added expense of supplementing their feed. Farmers don t have the ability to raise prices under such conditions, she added. Pruning was a hassle in deep snow, but the trees are faring well. According to Tre Green of Chazy Orchard, the late spring should be an advantage.