DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- The promise of rain turned empty for Ethan Zoerb this week. He's no stranger to drought in central Nebraska. But it is far too early in the season to have the word seeping into every conversation.

The dreaded red color signaling a D3 (Extreme Drought) on the National Drought Monitor map is stealthily edging toward his Custer County farm. "We're watering to get the crop up. We're watering to get herbicides to activate," said Zoerb, who farms with his family near Litchfield, Nebraska.

On the flip side, northern Alabama farmer Stuart Sanderson struggles with a sloppy scenario. Wet river bottom fields intended for corn have yet to be planted. The farm, located near Madison, has had few suitable days to spray herbicides and sidedress nutrients.

"We have lots of corn acres that look good, but the crop and the weeds are growing fast," Sanderson noted on May 15.

Then, there is the ripening wheat, which does not like wet feet.

These farmers are reporting in each week as part of DTN's View From the Cab series. In the 21st year of this feature, they explore crop conditions and other aspects of rural life.

While the season started fast and furious for both Zoerb and Sanderson, they are now feeling the pressure to finish up several farm operations as the calendar passes mid-May. This week, they also comment on the increasing difficulty of accessing needed parts to keep operations timely.

Read on to learn more about what's happening on their farms and learn whether their weather forecast will clear up from DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

STUART SANDERSON: MADISON, ALABAMA

When there's lots to do and the weather doesn't cooperate, sometimes all you can do is take a mental health break. That's exactly what Stuart Sanderson did for a few days this week as he contemplated life from a Florida beach. He wasn't exactly sitting still -- bicycling, golfing, swimming, fishing and eating good food are all healthy rewards for long days of farming.

This coming week, he'll be back at it as the farm invites visitors to attend a field day and review more than 100 acres of test plots. Henderson Farms, of which Sanderson is a partner, cooperates with multiple suppliers to test products and production practices.

How many people show up will depend on whether there is a break in the weather. Farmers have all been struggling to find days to run. Drying weather and clear skies could thin the crowd, no matter what lunch is being served.

This year has been one for the books as 350 acres of river bottom land remain unplanted. Those acres will shift to soybeans since the last official day to plant and not receive a crop insurance penalty has passed. There are another 300 acres of corn that need replanting.

"It's all river bottom ground, so we're careful to not put down any chemicals that would keep us from switching. But still, that is at least 600 acres of corn that we'd planned on that we won't have," he said. He's not too concerned about planting beans this late, as they are accustomed to double-cropping soybeans after wheat until mid-to-late June.

"We chase moisture a little bit on those double-crop soybeans. But we've got irrigation on a good bit of those acres this year. Normally, we like to turn the pivots on as soon as the planters get out of the field. We're trying to get them up quick and uniformly to get those heat units going as soon as possible," he said.

What he is concerned about right now is how wheat will hold up in current conditions. Although the crop was protected by fungicides early, wet conditions favor fungi and late-season diseases.

"We'll start harvesting wheat at 18% or 19% and dry it to capture some test weight," Sanderson said. "Here in the South, it is a golden rule that you don't plant any more wheat than you can get out in 10 days. One rain can cost 2 points of test weight and you'll lose 4 points of test weight with the second rain."

Of the farm's 3600 acres of corn, there are approximately 2200 acres that have yet to see a sprayer. "We've got some woolly-looking corn crops right now," he said. He considers morning glory, followed by crabgrass and Palmer pigweed, to be the main weedy concerns.

"The first 1000 acres we planted, we jumped on quick with a layby herbicide, and it looks great and is now waist high," he said.

It hasn't just been weather that has slowed progress. When a control module went out in a sprayer this spring, it took two days to find one through the dealer network. By that time, it was raining again.

"We do try to stock parts and supplies seasonally that we know we will need," Sanderson said. For example, winters are spent breaking down the farm's high-speed planters. They load up on repair items such as hydraulic down-pressure sensors, high-speed belts, bearings and hydraulic lines during those times. Filters and routine items are purchased a year's worth at a time to capture discounts.

Wheat harvest is another example of being prepared. "We run four combines and keep two of every belt on hand, as well as a full set of chopper blades and a spare cutter bar. We keep an extra center feed belt and an extra platform belt for the MacDon draper heads," he said.

DTN's Baranick said a few showers should be passing through northern Alabama over this weekend (May 17-18). "We continue to see disturbances move through the country next week, and they may also bring some showers to this area early in the week, but the chances after Wednesday are much lower and they may start finally getting a drying trend going," noted Baranick.

"We'll have to see if that materializes, though. Temperatures continue to be hot to start the week, but the midweek system will bring temperatures down nicely into the 70s for highs and below normal."

ETHAN ZOERB: LITCHFIELD, NEBRASKA

Taking a dip in the farm creek might sound tranquil, but on Zoerb Farms, it meant they were setting the creek pump this week. What makes that hard to swallow is the fact it is happening a month earlier than normal.

"We normally don't set that until mid-to-late June," Zoerb said. This week, his father, Dale, was armpit deep in Muddy Creek getting that pipe set and primed. In addition to groundwater rights, the farm has access to surface water for irrigation purposes.

Pivots have already made at least two passes and sometimes more across planted acres – applying approximately one-quarter to one-third inch per acre on the first two turns and from one-half to six-tenths inch per acre on third and fourth passes, he said.

"We're trying to put on just what is necessary to keep things moist enough for the seed to germinate and to make sure chemicals get activated," Zoerb added.

The Zoerbs finished planting corn on Saturday, May 17, and pre-emerge herbicide applications followed, which is the last pass for that, as well. They had been holding out for a rain before planting those last acres, but it didn't happen.

A storm skirted their farm fields mid-week without depositing a drop. "You go 40 miles north and some areas were reporting three-inch rains," Zoerb said. "I hear it came with a lot of wind and some hail, so sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for."

Most of the farm's soybeans can now be rowed, and some of the early-planted corn is nearing the V3 stage, so hail is not what he wants. Getting weather alerts for possible dust storms and 40-mile-per-hour winds adds to the concerns. A nice, gentle soaker would answer a lot of prayers.

DTN's Baranick said there are chances on the horizon. "Another storm system looks like it will be making a target over Nebraska between May 18-20. It's still going to be scattered showers and thunderstorms, so the amounts are variable. But models are indicating some heavier rainfall potential with 1-2 inches being possible," Baranick said.

There are no guarantees of rainfall for Zoerb's location, though. "Models are putting their area near the cutoff with drier conditions to their south and southwest. Some passing showers will remain possible throughout the week as well, but the chances are much lower after Tuesday. At least temperatures will be mild. Highs are forecast to swing around in the 60s and 70s for highs, so stress should be lower on the developing crops," Baranick added.

The plan is to start applying some early postemergence herbicides on corn next week. "We try to have that wrapped up by V5 on corn to avoid injury," Zoerb said. Given dry conditions, stress on the crop is also a concern during those applications.

With two major John Deere dealerships close at hand, Zoerb hasn't experienced many issues getting access to parts or repairs. However, he has another more immediate input concern.

Quantities of red diesel, also known as off-road diesel, seem to be tightening, according to Zoerb. "I was told this week that the closest transport available would have to come from Omaha, which is three hours away," he said.

Every diesel power unit attached to an irrigation unit has a holding capacity of 2000 to 4000 gallons. Zoerb said the farm crew devotes a couple of days every other week to hauling fuel to keep things pumping.

One thing about dry conditions, there aren't many kids' ball games to reschedule. He's coaching the two oldest daughters' teams this summer.

Another daughter has her first t-ball game this week. "For a change, I'm not coaching that team. I'm going to try to sit and watch and enjoy, while trying not to think about how much we need a rain," he said.

Pamela Smith can be reached at pamela.smith@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @PamSmithDTN

(c) Copyright 2025 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.