(Photo: WBOC)CAMBRIDGE, Md.- Many farmers expect to take a loss this year, but one crop that is not down and out just yet is soybeans. All they need is a little moisture and cooler temperatures.
Far too many soybean fields on Delmarva are looking brown, small and dry.
"It's been hot and dry and they don't grow they just sit there," said Dorchester County farmer Paul Jackson. "The roots probably grow down trying to reach water, but it was just too hot. Now that it's cooled off, they should bounce back."
While soybeans are capable of recovering, one of Jackson's fields was just planted a few weeks ago and will need more precipitation to mature properly. Jackson said early soybeans that were planted months ago will benefit greatly from Friday's cooler temperatures and off and on rain. It's the most recently planted soybeans that still have a long way to go.
"It's good for the early beans, because they are in bloom right now. But these ones behind us they were planted after the wheat crop and they are a ways off of being in bloom," said Jackson.
After another week of extremely hot and dry weather, Delmarva will cool down this weekend. Jackson said one cannot worry too much about the weather, or it will drive a person crazy.
"I try not to worry about it because you can't do anything about it, it's the luck of the draw as to what you get," said Jackson.
Farmers are happy with the recent drop in temperature and can only hope this growing season will end better than it started.
