LINO LAKES, Minn. — For the first time in almost two years, Minnesota is drought-free.
The rainy spring has had an impact. For some farmers, like Butch Cardinal, getting so much water in such a short time has also caused problems.
“It’s never perfect,” said Cardinal, owner of All Good Organics vegetable farm in Lino Lakes. “It’s never ‘average’. Farmers have to deal with it, it is what it is.”
The excessive rain and heat have been great for the hay fields and pastures, according to Cardinal. But the rain also flooded his farmland.
“It keeps us out of the fields,” he said. ‘The tractors can’t go. They’re sinking, it’s mud. Everything sticks and hides.’
He says things will be fine, but the flooding delayed Cardinal’s growing schedule and also killed some of his pepper plants.
“The best thing for drought would be a long, steady rainfall so you can soak it into the ground,” said WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows. “Otherwise, if we get a lot of storms at once, you’re looking at flooding concerns.”
