May 7, 2025

Carter County - Michael Hansen

Well another muddy week in the southeast corner. Three different rains this week with another inch for the total. Obviously still too wet to do any farming; since the twelfth of April we are now at 4 inches. There have been more days of it being muddy than dry around my yard. Horse trailered the replacement heifer calves out of the feedlot part way to summer pasture then trailed in the rest of the way. Still water standing in some fields; not sure what we are going to do about the farming, but I guess better than the alternative.
Moisture conditions have been excellent.
Planting Winter Wheat, Durum, Barley, Garbanzos, Oats, and Hay this growing season.
Winter Wheat is in the 4-leaf growth stage. Barley is in the 2-leaf growth stage.

Fergus County - Boyd Heilig

We were able to finish up the spring crop planting last Wednesday. Its always a good thing to finish here by the first of May. On Thursday (5/1) we started to spray the winter wheat crop. Things look good and will be helped by the storm that showed up on Sunday (5/4) night. Very thankful to receive just at an inch of moisture.
Moisture conditions have been good. We have received 1 inch of precipitation within the last week.
Planted Winter Wheat, Spring Wheat, Barley, and Canola this growing season. 
Winter Wheat is in the tillering growth stage. Spring Wheat is in the 1-leaf growth stage. Barley is in the germinating growth stage.

Fergus County - Robert Bold

What a welcome rain! We were getting on the dry side. I read April was in the top 10 driest Aprils. Luckily it was not a hot April. North of us, ranchers are already buying hay. Dry land hay crop not going to be very good. In a few locations north of us, the winter wheat is shooting up a flag leaf. It would be nice if the US had a drought resistant gene in our wheat like Argentia has and Australia gets next year. But the US is limited by non tariff trade barriers from primarily a small handful of Eastern Asia countries that block the US from introducing genetic traits in our wheat--with no scientific data to back up their marketing barriers. While Argentia has a trade agreement with the second largest wheat importer (on most years) the US is locked out of that market should wheat traits be introduced. The fore mentioned Asia countries have no problems importing US gm corn, soybeans, canola, alfalfa, fruits and vegetables...but not wheat. The US trade realignment talks have more non tariff trade barriers to hammer out than tariffs. In 90 days? Letters of Intent at best. We need to get winter wheat sprayed, but it keeps freezing at nights, including last night (5/6). The broadleaf weeds are slow coming. Chem fallow is holding up fine. Last fall's spray job still holding for the most part. Hope everyone got a good rain; have a good week ahead and a good Mother's Day this weekend.
Moisture conditions have been good...about 1 inch rain. Rain gauge has a hole in it above 8/10th...frost damage.
Planted Winter Wheat and Spring Wheat this growing season.
Winter Wheat is in the tillering growth stage. Spring Wheat is in the 1-leaf growth stage.

Hill County - Eric Hanson

Crops are progressing nicely up here, and the main reason being the moisture we received at the start of the week. Things were starting to look pretty rough after 86 degrees and some days of wind. Got the last of the urea out before the rain, which sure felt like a gamble, but glad we did. Now we’ve been spraying crop and will quickly move into chemfallow, as every weed in the county decided that rain was rejuvenating and time to bolt. Keep the rain coming!
Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .3-.5 inches of precipitation within the last week. 
Planting Winter Wheat, Spring Wheat, and Garbanzos this growing season.
  

 

Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews

Just the alfalfa left to seed but waiting due to breakdowns. Had an inch for the month of April. Storm due today May 4, hopefully its a big one. It is getting dry here and need some rain and NO WIND. WW is progressing nicely but there is some fields not looking very good, with poor stands and some winter kill. First seeded spring crop took a month to get out of the ground, not mine but a neighbor. Top dressing of WW is mostly done in the area and spring crop looks like half done.
Moisture conditions have been fair. We received .22 inches of precipitation within the last week.
We need a good soaker!
I have seen some over wintering grasshoppers lately, hard to believe they survived the below zero weather.
Planting Winter Wheat, Spring Wheat, Barley, and Hay this growing season.
Winter Wheat is in the 4-leaf growth stage. Spring Wheat is in the germinating growth stage. Barley is in the germinating growth stage. 

McCone/Dawson County - Trevor Schock

Its been a busy month or so spring work so far. We should be done seeding in a week or so. Have about 1000 acres of wheat left to seed. Fertilizer has been spread on all the fields except for a second pass on fields for a split application. Most of the preemergence spraying has been done and we have started on our chem fallow too. I also just started on hauling in some spring wheat to the elevator for a contract...this has to be in this month.
Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received less then .2 inches of precipitation within the last week. 
We had roughly 1" of rain in April which is below normal. It came kind of spaced out well to keep to ground in a nice planting condition for most of the month. The last few chances of rain (including yesterday and today 5/5 & 5/6) have been a bust. As the temps crept up into the 80s the ground has been getting harder and dustier. Hoping that this weather pattern improves in May.
We have not had any insect issues thus far. Mustard, kochia, and thistle are present at this time.
Planting Spring Wheat and Peas this growing season.
Spring Wheat is in the 1-leaf growth stage.
  

Sheridan County - Terry Angvick

We just finished seeding yesterday (5/6). Had a few breakdowns and delays, but pushed hard to stay on top of it.  The county as a whole is in full swing. Most pulse crops are in, and the durum seeding is going full blast. I would estimate that about 40-50% of the county is seeded. This is durum country. No winter wheat, and very little spring wheat. A lot of peas and lentils.
Moisture conditions have been good.
Limited rain so far. Surface moisture has been good for planting, but fields are drying fast with higher temps over the weekend and high winds. We have fairly good soil moisture in the top foot, but subsoil moisture is lacking.
Winter annuals, kochia and russian thistle are present at this time.  Volunteer cereals as well.
Planted Durum, Peas, and Lentils, and Hay this growing season.
Spring Wheat is in the 1-leaf growth stage.

Teton County - Mitch Konen

We were going strong seeding until the more than welcome rain came. Only a couple 100 acres of barley remain to be drilled. It has been going smoothly. Hopefully should be finished by the weekend. The fallow winter wheat is looking good. The terminated grass winter wheat is very ugly. Not sure if it will be revived by this rain as it is showing some signs of life now. It was just too dry earlier. The first barley seeded is emerging and rowing up nicely.
Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .6-.74 inches of precipitation within the last week.
We will need a bit more rain to completely break this lingering drought.  
Wild oats are present at this time.
Planting Winter Wheat, Barley, and Hay this growing season.
Winter Wheat is in the 3-leaf growth stage. Barley is in the 1-leaf growth stage.
 

Toole County - Klayton Lohr

Finished seeding, now working on spraying winter wheat.
Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .05 inches of precipitation within the last week.
Lots of heat and wind, no rain to speak of.
Tansy mustard and kochia are present at this time. 
Planted Winter Wheat and Durum this growing season.
Winter Wheat is in the 4-leaf growth stage. Barley is in the 2-leaf growth stage.

Yellowstone County - Chad Conover

We have started seeding. It’s going good but having rain delays.
Moisture conditions have been excellent. We have received 1.4 inches of precipitation within the last week.
Little tan spot on lower leaves for a diseases issue. 
Planting Winter Wheat, Barley, Oats, and Sunflowers this growing season.
Winter Wheat is in the 5-leaf growth stage. Spring Wheat is in the germinating growth stage.