‘Yes, but how much rain did you keep?’

It’s not how much rainfall that counts as much as how much soaked into the soil

  • The flowing waterway in this corn field north of Aurora on Thursday morning shows evidence of the 1.5 inches of rain that fell overnight as reported at the airport. That was in addition to the estimated 2 inches of precipitation received earlier in the week. Researchers say it’s not how much rain that fell on an acre of farm ground that counts as much as how much of it was retained by the soil. Studies show that healthy soil practices can increase corn yields by up to 25 bushels per acre.
    The flowing waterway in this corn field north of Aurora on Thursday morning shows evidence of the 1.5 inches of rain that fell overnight as reported at the airport. That was in addition to the estimated 2 inches of precipitation received earlier in the week. Researchers say it’s not how much rain that fell on an acre of farm ground that counts as much as how much of it was retained by the soil. Studies show that healthy soil practices can increase corn yields by up to 25 bushels per acre.
    Ask a producer “How much rain did you get” and he’ll tell you, usually followed with a “but.” It will be either, “but we need more as it’s been dry” or “but it came too fast and most of it ran off.”What really matters is “how much rain did you keep.” Producers with well-structured, healthy soils will respond “all of it.”I grew up in northeast Nebraska and my ...

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