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Planting progress seemingly normal

A mid-Michigan farmer says soils have been too cold and wet to get an early jump on planting.

Andrew Braun tells Brownfield, “It’s warmer right now, but it’s supposed to cool off here the later half of this week and into the next week.”

“We probably won’t get started until maybe later next week if we do or the first part of May is probably more typical for us,” he shares.

Braun also works as Walthers Farms’ general manager for the region and says potato planting started April 15.

“Soil temperature is not quite as critical for us, obviously the potatoes will grow faster with the warmer soils, but they just look to really get them in the ground as quickly as we can once the soil moisture is right,” he says.

Braun says this season is especially exciting because the family will be able to improve seed and nutrient placement with a new Kinze planter.

Brownfield discusses planting and recent young farmer recognition from the Michigan Farm Bureau with Braun.