Showers on May 2 settled the dust in most locations, but general rainfall on the Saturday and Monday left between 30 and 80 mm, with most areas receiving about 40 mm. Temperatures on and since the weekend have been in the low teens and have been accompanied by strong winds. Farmers were busy with all field operations for the last days of April and the first few days of May. In many areas the soil conditions for planting corn were better than at any time last year. A few growers have planted soybeans, but acreage is limited.
Wheat fields continue to look variable, with earliest fields tillering and beginning to elongate.
Conditions during the past week have contrasted good and poor fields. Spring grains and forages are beginning to emerge uniformly in earliest planted fields. Forage fields continue to look tough. Fields are variable depending somewhat on drainage, soil type and fall cutting date. Surviving plants are also displaying variable growth with some plants showing 4 to 5 inches of growth and others just beginning some crown growth.