Thursday’s rainfall helps North Dakota farmers

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Rain can be a precious commodity around North Dakota. When it doesn’t come, farmers can get pretty nervous.

The area got some yesterday, with one spot getting a lot more than another. Around five inches of rain fell in northwest Mandan.

As long as it’s not too much, the crops appreciate it.

Your News Leader went to the Crown Butte area to see how much of a difference it made.

As Alan Boehm checks on this wheat field he’s breathing a sigh of relief.

“We’ve been praying and praying for rain,” said Boehm.

Finally an answer to his prayer, he recorded 3.3. inches of rain Thursday night.

“It was just a very nice slow, beautiful rain,” said Boehm.

He’s hopeful that rain will help his crops.

“I think a lot of the first crops of the small grains are going to be they’re going to be pretty poor. They’re six-eight inches tall and a lot of a lot of them are heading out now. And so I don’t think they’re going to do very well but at least now they have a chance to finish and fill out and, you know, maybe we can still make hay out of some of them,” said Boehm.

He’s had his small grains in for three to four weeks. Despite this rain, drought is still on his mind.

“It has been the last three years it’s been pretty hit-and-miss with the rain. Last year we actually had a pretty good crop last year but other than that, it’s kind of hard to hopefully get the rain when you need it. But that’s Mother Nature,” said Boehm.

But when mother nature delivers, producers like Boehm feel a renewed sense of hope that this growing season might be okay.

“It’s going to give us a little bit of hope,” said Boehm.

On the other hand, Boehm said he’s concerned about the need to battle grasshoppers this year.

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