Over the last week the Junction City area has received approximately a half inch to three quarters of an inch of rain which is desperately needed but won’t be drought breaking.

According to Chuck Otte, Geary County Research and Extensions Agent, the best thing the rain has done is get all of the dry grass wet,” so at least we don’t have to worry about wildfires right away.”

The little rain that the area has seen will soak up six to eight inches of soil and connect with deeper soil were plant roots are.

“It’s a benefit but we need wide spread soaking rains. Normal rainfall for April is about three inches, we were at fifty percent of normal throughout the first three months of the year. This is not a drought breaker by a long shot, it’s helpful, we need a lot more.”

When it comes to Geary County’s winter wheat crop Otte said that things are looking pretty good. There have been some problems with stand issues and problems with getting seeds punched down into the soil in the no till fields, but overall not bad.

Western Geary County did see some damage though Otte said.

“Fields on the western side of the county are not quite as good as the fields in the central part of the county on average, but compared to counties two or three farther west, we’re in a lot better shape.”

There is still a lot of time between now and harvest and more rain will be crucial for the outcome of this years crops.