Dry conditions continue to persist across the area and a U-N-L Extension Educator is hoping for some rains to fall before the ground freezes. Extension Educator for Gage, Saline and Jefferson counties Nathan Mueller says southeast Nebraska is going into the winter months very dry.

“We are almost 30 inches deficit from 2020 until now in terms of moisture. Really since July of 2022 we were in the drought pretty severe and that carried into this year and that unfortunately, that caught some of the alfalfa and the wheat. I was hoping we were going to dig out of it in July with some of the moisture but we were so far in terms of deficit and our rain fed fields and our irrigated fields were both below average for a lot of producers.”

Speaking on K-W-B-E earlier this week Mueller said he wish he had good news for area farmers but unfortunately it appears dry conditions will continue to prevail going into the new year.

“It is pretty hard to dig out of the drought that we are in. Saline, Gage and Jefferson counties are pretty much covered. Probably the area that is fairing the best right now is southern Jefferson with some of the fall moisture that we got. It’s pretty hard to dig out of the drought going into our driest part of the year which is winter. We will be walking into 2024 still in a drought.”

Mueller says the recent mild weather has allowed any moisture that has fallen to soak into the ground. He says it would be good if a few rains would occur before the cold temperatures move into the area….

“It’s unbelievable how warm it has been this fall. Our soils aren’t frozen and haven’t been frozen so our guys have been able to get fertilizer on and things we can do before the ground freezes. Hopefully we can catch some rain here before the ground freezes.”

Mueller says despite the dry conditions the wheat crop across Gage, Saline and Jefferson counties is looking good going into the winter months.