It’s been a theme for Vermilion County farmers a couple of times this summer; some significant rains followed by prolonged high heat and humidity. The most recent round had the high heat showing up the middle of this week (week of July 21st), and continuing into the middle of next week (week of July 28th).
Tom Fricke of the Vermilion County Farm Bureau says there really aren’t any two areas within this county that have had the exact same amount of rain. So what happened right before this heat, and what will happen in the fall; can vary quite a bit.
AUDIO: I mean there are obviously spots that could get too dry. It depends on what rain they’ve gotten. The rains have been very spotty this year. We haven’t had the same amount of rain countywide in any one shower, for the most part. So it just depends on what your particular area’s gotten.
How will all this affect things at harvest time? Fricke says that as usual, the jury is out. Sure, degree days are maybe putting things ahead of schedule right now; but that could change.
AUDIO: Corn matures by growing degree days. And so it just depends on what the rest of the season is. If we even out, and have some weeks of just 80 degree weather; then it’ll slow down, and we’ll be back to the same spot we were.
Fricke says one possible trouble area in all this extreme heat would have to do with later planted corn just starting to tassel and pollinate; as dried up silks and pollens could affect the pollination rate.
