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Soil moisture improvement has a Kansas farmer optimistic

Precipitation is always a concern for a north-central Kansas farmer.  

But Michael Junek tells Brownfield he’s optimistic about the year ahead. “We got a little bit of snow and sleet here the other day,” he says. “But some of our ponds are looking better, and there’s decent soil moisture down there. I just hope it continues and we have a good year.”

Junek, who farms dryland acres, says he’s about a month away from the start of planting season. “I was put some 4-2s in about April 25th every year,” he says. “Just have an early-season and then a late-season bean.”

According to the latest drought monitor, nearly 64% of Kansas remains in some form of drought, but conditions have steadily improved over the last three months.