Deceived by a mild winter with February daytime temperatures around 21 Celsius¹ many Midwestern farmers began discing their fields, injecting anhydrous ammonia, and doing other expensive preparations to set up an anticipated early planting of corn and altcorns including soybeans. A return to more seasonally cold weather delayed the actual planting of seeds until late April.

For many farmers that work has been undone in the past two weeks with sustained rainfall driving a flood event that has washed the nitrogen out of fields, drowned seedlings, and re-compacted the tilled soil beneath heavy standing water.

When the water recedes and the soil dries enough to be worked again, it will be a time for harrowing indeed. Plots known to be cultivated in support of The Most Serene Republic's agriCultural Supremacy Project remain adequately drained at this time.

1. Temperatures in the low to mid 70's using UStani units.  ↩