A field day scheduled at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station in St. Joseph, La., for June 17 has been cancelled.

The field day will be rescheduled for sometime later this summer.

What’s the reason for the cancellation?

“Usually you hear about having to reschedule due to excess rain,” said Donnie Miller, the station’s research coordinator. “The reason this time is just the opposite. We’re in horrible shape and haven’t had a real rain since mid-March — certainly nothing greater than half an inch. It’s been windy, too.”

Some of the station’s fields have been irrigated “in order to plant. Other fields aren’t set up to irrigate. So, we’re sitting here waiting for a good rain. We need one terribly.”

Many herbicide treatments have not been applied because “we need rain to get them activated.

“The funny thing about this is (the station) is in a narrow, dry area,” said Miller. “Head 2 miles up the road and fields received over 2 inches of rain” in mid-May. The station received a sprinkle from the same weather system.

“The whole state has been in a moisture deficit. But most areas have received some significant rainfall in the past few days. Not us, though, and it’s getting pretty rough.

“During our field days, we like to have a lot to show off to visitors. We’re holding off with this one because we didn’t want have a situation where everyone sits on trailers and listens to us talk without anything planted in the background.

“As soon as we have a firm date for the reschedule, we’ll let everyone know.”

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