Iowa farmers race to beat the rain after delayed planting window

REDFIELD, Iowa (KCCI) - The heavy rain expected for much of Iowa this week had many farmers scrambling to finish planting on Monday.

The planting window was already delayed and narrow this spring, due to a more cold and wet April than usual.

Lowell Garrett said with the limited amount of days available this spring, the days that were dry enough to plant were long ones.

“We went to fields that had more tile and waited for the others to try,” Garrett said. “And right now we have good moisture, of course.”

Garrett owns 190 acres of soybeans near Redfield. He farms with his son-in-law, Andy Hick, who also spent long days away from his family to tend to his crops.

“It gets tough,” Hick said. “I got twins that are 5 and a 3 and-a-half at home, and so it keeps Kelsey my wife busy watching them, as well as helping us shuttle around one field to the next.”

Now that the crops are in the ground, and things are out of their hands, both farmers say they look forward to some time with their family.

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