MACON COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - Spring is a busy time for farmers, but now they are in a bind because of above average rainfall.
"This year since last November, it seems like it has been one rain after another," said farmer David Brown.
WAND's team of Meteorologists recorded over three inches of rain for the month of May. Farmers like Brown said spring is show time, and they are held back because of soggy conditions.
"The fields are just too darn wet and soggy and it's not great conditions for planting," explained Brown.
For farmers this is the time they start working the ground and plant for their fall harvest. However, Brown said his farm was forced to put their planting on hold while rain traveled through central Illinois.
"We are planting into situations where we would not normally go, it's some of the latest planting I think our farm has ever seen," said Brown.
Last year farms around central Illinois boomed with record yields, but this year, Brown predicts a decent crop, but not a record year.
"Douglas County was a record high. Piatt County and Macon County, where were all record yielding counties. I don't think we can expect that," explained Brown.
Brown said typically planting is done the end of April and first part of May, but this year they are two to three weeks behind that. He said he's optimistic, but it all depends on how summer goes to really tell what fall will be life.
"We've been through this before, we can still get the crop planted and we can still expect, but maybe not optimal yield potential," said Brown. "We're farmers. We like to do the best job we can."
Brown and some of this neighboring farms were able to get work done while there were dry conditions last week.
