Harvest continues to be slowed by rain, snow

GRAND FORKS — Farmers made little if any progress in harvesting crops the past week in eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota as rainy, muddy and cold conditions continued to foil field operations.Water can be seen standing in farm fields in the southern end of the Red River Valley, which has gotten more rain — up to 5 inches — the past month than the northern end.The National Weather Service put out flood watches in the southern end of the valley last week as steady rains on already saturated fields meant the new water mostly drained quickly into ditches, streams and rivers.There’s more and more doubt if all the beans and flax will get harvested before winter sets in, farmers and county extension agents say. Corn and sunflowers usually can make it through winter, if necessary.Minnesota farmers got in only two days of field work last week, and North Dakota farmers only three days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly crop progress report.It’s the fifth-consecutive week farmers have gotten less than 3.5 days for field work......Full article here