The wet, cold spring tops the Red River Farm Network list of the top ten stories of the year. For much of the Northern Plains, it was one of the wettest springs on record. In early June, World Weather Incorporated Senior Ag Meteorologist Drew Lerner spoke about the very unusual conditions. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and we always see something new,” said Lerner. “I’ve been surprised with the persistence of the coolness. You expect April to be cool, but in May you just coudn’t get rid of it.” Conditions were far from perfect for seeding a crop. Chris Hong, who farms at Buxton, North Dakota, said the region went from mud to dust. “It has been miserable; you get two or three inches of rain and a couple days later you have dirt blowing.” Despite the challenges from Mother Nature, the markets provided an incentive to keep planting. Seed was still going in the ground in late June.
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