Even if that means SNOW towards the end of April .... Although we've been known to get that white fluffy stuff all the way into May - in fact I remember having nearly 4" of fresh snow on the docks the night before we put them in at the in-laws!
Last year was horrid - way too much water! Fields didn't dry out until mid-July so no selling crop went in ... Nothing grew of the greenhouse starter pants put out ... If it wasn't for the chickens, we wouldn't have had any nome from the farm at all!
It's scary .... But this year looks to be about the same ... Only it wont be because we have too much water, but rather, not enough.
While we will not have the same issues as California, we will have horrid problems with water this year.
We are known as the Land of 10,000 lakes (total under estimate, btw) but little of those lakes are actually located near enough to farms to do any help.
Water is very important if you grow sweet corn ....
Water helps get those kernels plump
It helps the stalks grow tall before they tassel
Actually when it's dry out, sweet corn has been known to tassel at just 3 ft tall instead of 5 1/2 - 6 ft high which is pretty much what you hope for.
We (farmers in general) hope to get our crop in ASAP so we can start selling early.
We do not like getting a crop in before Memorial weekend ... The weather is generally dry, the fields are firm enough to hold the tractor but soft enough to work well for the seed.
The other enemy besides water ... Heat!
Too much and you've got swiveled plants, too little and - well - its just as bad.
It seems lately our climate has been warming later in the year ... In fact last year was a VERY cold summer.
Corm loves heat and water .... So a hotter, more humid summer is okay .... Not the greatest but at least we will get something even if it's only good enough for us or the critters ... At least it's something.
Dry & hot -- you get puny produce. Things tend to tase woody & dry.
Dry & cold -- root crops will grow okay, but things like tomatoes, corn, peas, etc will have real problems ... They all really need the sunshine to ripen and water to plump it up.
Wet & cold -- forget it! Nothing will grow. Root crops will rot in the ground .... Topper plants wont grow unless they are Cole/Cold crops (I've seen it written both ways)
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