Heavy rains could delay planting season for farmers

WAUKESHA CO. (WITI) -- What a difference a year makes. After drought conditions made farmers miserable last year, they're beginning this season with flooded fields.

Ron Williams says there's a lot he needs to do in order to get his field ready for the season. But he can't; there's a giant pond in the middle of his corn field.

"Kind of like a coil spring, it's kind of winding me up," he said, "Lots of anticipation, wanting to get going but can't."

Williams wanted to plant his seeds around April 25. But he says there's no way that'll happen now, saying the flooding will push back that date by at least a week.

"It'll be more like the first of May," he said, "I'm hoping some can be planted on the first of May. It really depends on next week, how much rain we get next week or whether we get nice, dry weather."

Williams says an unseasonably cool start to spring is also cause for concern. He says the ideal ground temperature for planting is 50 degrees. When he measured the temperature in his field Saturday morning, it was just 36 degrees.

"Some real nice weather from here on in would (help), some real nice, dry weather would make a huge difference. Warm weather, warm, dry weather," he said.