Saturated ground means farmers can't get into fields to harvest or apply pesticide.

Saturated ground means farmers can't get into fields to harvest or apply pesticide.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
Farmers in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys need about three weeks of hot, dry weather to salvage the corn, soybean and alfalfa crops standing in soggy fields.
Frequent and heavy rainfall and lower-than-normal temperatures are a recipe for crop loss of catastrophic proportions, said Ernie Oelker, Ohio State University Extension agent for Columbiana County.
"It's ridiculous," Oelker said. "I've never seen anything like it. There's destructive erosion everywhere."
"It's been a long year," said Gary Micsky, Penn State University agriculture extension agent for Mercer County. "We've got a lot of different topography here, so in some places crops are outstanding, and in others, just dreadful.
"There are some high and dry fields, but some low fields that are under water," he said. "In some areas, you need a canoe to check crops."
Micsky said there won't be many locally grown vegetables sold in Mercer County. Onions rotted in the ground and tomatoes are struggling to survive.
He said with the ground saturated, farmers can't get into the fields to harvest, nor to apply pesticides. The wet weather is ideal for all types of crop pests, and left untreated they are thriving, he said.
"If you can't harvest crops and you can't treat them, then the fungal diseases will get the upper hand, too," he said. "The frustration level just keeps rising."
Cutting hay
Oelker said many farmers took off a first cutting of hay that was dry, but the second cutting was wet. Some aren't planning on a third cutting.
In exceptional conditions for hay, farmers can sometimes get four cuttings.
Renae Unkefer said her husband Owen will chop and bag hay rather than try to cut and bale it. The Unkefers operate a dairy farm in Fairfield Township and need the hay to feed their dairy herd.
Chopped hay can be stored wet, but cut hay has to dry before it can be baled. She said when it comes time to use the chopped hay, they will mix it with other feed.
"I got a couple cuttings of hay off, and need to do another one," said Jerry Carroll of Salem Township in Columbiana County. "I'll probably just leave it there though, because if I go out there and tear up the fields, I'll ruin next year's crop."
Carroll has about 200 acres planted in corn, hay, oats and wheat.
"We've had nothing but rain for three months," Carroll lamented. "If it would just clear up, we'd have a chance. I've got oats out there that need to come off in a couple weeks. It's just too wet."
What's needed
Oelker said there's a lot of hay and corn in the fields that wasn't planted until late June. Not only dry weather, but heat is needed, for the crops to survive.
Dry days with temperatures above 50 and below 90 are required, he said.
"With the crops out there wet and no way to take them off, that's big trouble," he said. "Soybeans get aphids and root rot, and that takes away yield."
Oelker said wheat has been knocked down by heavy rain and the moisture is making the wheat heads sprout. Sprouting is not supposed to happen until the wheat is in the ground for next year's crop.
"Wheat is pretty much a disaster," said Scott Lindsay of New Waterford. "Corn looks good. It's tassling now, but we'll have to wait and see."
Lindsay farms about 700 acres and was making calls last week to check on hay in the West. He needs the hay to feed his dairy herd. He milks about 370 Jerseys.
"It looks like there's plenty of hay out West, which is good," he said. "Hopefully the price won't be too bad," he said. We're definitely going to be buying hay," he said. "If we can't get in the fields to make hay in the next three weeks, we're going to be buying a lot more."