Spring planting season underway for western North Dakota farmers

FAIRVIEW, Mont. (KUMV) – The spring planting season is underway for many producers, including Adam Cayko, who farms a few miles east of Fairview.

“Everything is good so far. A healthy family, we’re able to keep planting, and keep farming. That’s all I can ask for,” said Cayko.

The former sugar beet farmer has had to try new crops following the closure of the Sidney Sugars plant last year. He’s planting corn, spring wheat and soybeans again, as well as adding canola for the first time.

“I know a few other guys that have some irrigated fields who had [canola] last year. They were happy with it, and they were going to be planting more acres of it this year, so I think that’s one of the things that made us jump to this. It’s also a crop we can combine early on,” said Cayko.

The biggest change Cayko says, is dealing with market prices instead of the contracted prices that came with beet growing.

“It’s up to you when you want to sell them, so that’s going to be the biggest learning curve going forward, but we got one year under our belt, and it went pretty well. We’re hoping to gain on that knowledge and keep moving forward,” said Cayko.

As is the case in western North Dakota and eastern Montana, moisture has been pretty hit or miss so far this year. Cayko says once these seeds are in the ground, he’s hoping to see some precipitation.

Cayko says he’s hoping to finish planting ahead of some expected rain showers this week.

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