CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WZZM) - The United States is expecting its lowest overall corn yield in 17 years. That's why all the rain West Michigan received Thursday and Friday was such a welcome sight for farmers-- many of whom are starting to harvest their crops.
"We picked sweet corn, pickles, summer squash and zucchini, cucumbers, and eggplant this morning," says William Bos, of Bos Farms in Cascade.
It's been a busy summers. Because of the drought, he spent a lot of time irrigating his crops. Right now, he's enjoying the rain. "We'll take it. I'll take it. I have one inch on this farm, three on the other."
Bos says the plants should yield more vegetables. And he has yet to put in his fall crops. "I have to plant spinach, radishes, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts."
A steady, gentle rain, is best. "You want to build up all the sub-soil moisture, it's not coming down real fast. So it's not running off, it's soaking in."
The cool weather also helps. "Now that it's cooled off, the snap beans have gone back up. During the heat, the blossoms fell off."
So, what seems like a wet, chilly day to us comes as a relief to farmers. That means a better harvest, for all. There are some crops that are already damaged. Bos says he's hearing from other farmers that field corn is too far gone because of the drought. And we already know that many of the fruit farms were severely damaged by the spring freeze.