Wet weather delayed planting while also keeping farm equipment out of fields at the end, which has slowed the harvest. A recent story from Illinois' Bloomington Pantagraph highlighted these concerns through the story of Thomas Wargel, a farmer in the central part of the state. Like many, Wargel said he would be happy to see this difficult harvest season come to an end.
Though the harvest is coming in late, making it more difficult for farmers, Wargel said farmers have seen a number of positives for the season. For example, fuel prices are down. Also, the wet weather doesn't seem to have hurt crop yields.
"We haven't had any real bad wind and we haven't had any real deep freezes, so that works to the advantage of those who still have crops in the field," Wargel told the Pantagraph.
A delay in the harvest season not only makes things more difficult for farmers, it is also more dangerous. With the sun setting earlier, many farmers are being forced to work in the dark, which could lead to more road accidents. Farmers and drivers are encouraged to take extra caution while traveling near farmland.
