08/22/05 Enough water after all

Greenleaf Farms is 850 acres overlooking the west end of Idaho's Treasure Valley. That 50 year old Canyon County farm is home to seed crops like corn, beans and peas. Dave Dixon and his dad Dan also have wheat, sugar beets and field corn. When we first talked to Dave Dixon last winter when there was no snow in the mountains he had already made up his mind not to plant field corn but went with spring wheat instead. DIXON "We spent all last fall coming up with plan 'A." At some point you got to go with a plan that might not be perfect. We're praying for rain when we need it and right now on paper we can make this work out with the allotment and the amount of carryover from last year on paper we're covered. It's a thin cover but we're covered." Just when things looked the worst the rain started to fall in May. DIXON "We have probably close to three, three and a half inches of rain and it's really been quite timely. Its caused us to have some weeks where we went from past daylight till dark. But we made it through and have everything in the ground, the early crops look exceptional." But this year it kept on raining in southwest Idaho, well into June, which is normally a hot, dry month. DIXON "Were getting to that point where we need heat units. The beans and the corn I think thinks it's in the wrong place just kind of shivering still." So how has it all worked out this year at Greenleaf Farms? DAN DIXON I think its definitely better than it was in April. We've got quite a bit more water than we were anticipating at that time." DIXON "It's a beautiful crop of wheat and for the most part standing so we're thankful for that. Last year it was mostly on the ground and made a slow process so." DAN "I think we'll be alright." The Dixon's may have to play the guessing game another year. Reservoirs are going to be very low again this fall, thanks to six years of below normal precipitation. The experts say it will take several years of above normal snowfall to replenish them. Line on Agriculture Bill Scott