A wet, cold start to spring finally gave way to better conditions last week, and growers wasted no time taking advantage of the dramatic shift. Farmers reporting Feedback From The Field noted rapid progress planting corn and getting a good start on soybeans as well.

The average of reports filed last week jumped to 51% planted for corn, up from 16% the prior week. USDA likely won’t report quite that large an increase, but the Crop Progress report put out Monday afternoon could show farmers close to the 48% normally planted by now. USDA said 17% of fields were planted nationwide last week, 10% behind the five-year average.

Farmers providing Feedback also saw good gains in soybeans, with the average at 18% planted, up from just 1% the prior week. USDA said 5% of the crop was planted last week, in line with the five-year average. Growers normally have around 13% of the crop planted by the end of the first week in May.

While rains eventually shut down fieldwork in Iowa last week, producers made good progress before the storms. Many of the reports were already finished with corn, though there was still some variance.

 “Went from bone dry to 2.5" of rain in 48 hours,” said a grower in the eastern part of the state. “Corn planting anywhere from complete to just starting. Some soybeans have just started being planted.”

Less rain fell in most areas east of the Mississippi River, with active progress noted in Illinois. “Great start,” said a farmer north of Bloomington who was 100% planted on corn and 80% done with beans. But a farmer south of Champaign reported some producers opted to plant soybeans first and have yet to get going on corn.

Good progress was noted in Indiana too, where rains were welcomed. “In a week time span we went from wet to brick hard soils,” was the observation from northeast Indiana. “Today's moisture is welcomed for the crops planted.”

But elsewhere reports were less favorable. One producer said planters were still parked in central Ohio, and some fields were still too cold to plant in northern states. For those farmers, #plant18 had the feeling of deja vu all over again.

“Very wet, finally not so cold,” said a central Wisconsin farmer with nothing in the ground. “Winter just seemed to end a couple weeks ago. Now we enter the rainy season. Can't remember the last year when we had a decent spring.”

What’s happening out your way? Click this Feedback From The Field link to rate crops in your area and provide planting progress and comments about your fields. We’ll update reports frequently with the interactive map below that lets you see what other growers are saying around the country. Click the box in the upper left-hand corner to bring up the weekly index; scroll down to see the most current week.

Follow along with the season here:

Feedback From the Field - May 2, 2018 - Some growers welcome this week’s rains.

Feedback From The Field - April 30, 2018 - More growers get into the field over the weekend.

Feedback From The Field - April 23, 2018 - April ending with cold, wet conditions stalling planting.

Feedback From The Field - April 19, 2018 - Rain, snow, fires and mud – this spring has it all.

Feedback From The Field - April 18, 2018 - Welcome to springtime in the Midwest.

Feedback From The Field - April 16, 2018 - Interactive tool helps growers share conditions.