Some fortunate NE farms received up to an inch of rain this past week. The rainfall helped our soy crop initiate new trifoliates, improving field aesthetics by hiding leaves present when post-herbicides were applied, giving some fields a “dinged” appearance. While recent rainfall was welcomed, signs of a very dry early vegetative season, and drought conditions, persist. Corn and soy are smaller than normally expected as we near July in our region. The competition for early season soil moisture is evident in corn fields having trees on their perimeter. Wheat harvest has yet to start in northern Illinois.