Farms.com Home  › News

Essex County, Ont., farmers hope for 'million-dollar rain' as region sees driest May since 1870

Farmers in Essex County, Ont. are hoping for a "million-dollar rain" as the region faces its driest month of May on record in more than 150 years. 

Peter Kimbell, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, says the area has only seen 23 millimetres of rain this month.

"April was pretty wet, but not May," he said.

"If you go back all the way back to the 1800s, 1870 had an equivalent low amount of rain, 23 millimetres."

Environment Canada forecasts show a week of hot, sunny weather for Windsor and Essex County, with temperatures hovering between 28 and 30 degrees for much of the week. There's a chance of rain in the forecast for Saturday, when temperatures are expected to rise to 31 degrees. 

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Video: Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Can supplemental nitrogen help soybeans reach higher yield potential? Technical Agronomist Tim Sickman walks through an ongoing trial at the Nutrien Innovation Farm in Owensboro, Kentucky, exploring whether a modest amount of nitrogen applied at planting can support higher-yielding soybean environments.

The trial compares 30 pounds of supplemental nitrogen across both 15- and 30-inch rows, along with treatments that include sulfur and micronutrients. Similar trials conducted in 2024 and 2025 delivered a six- to seven-bushel yield response, prompting the team to expand the research this season.

Early observations show that treated soybeans are slightly taller and averaging about two additional nodes on the main stem. These added nodes could create more opportunities for blooms and pods, but the true results will come at harvest when the team evaluates pod development, seed fill and final yield.

In This Video:

Why high-yield soybeans may need supplemental nitrogen

Results from the 2024 and 2025 trials

Nitrogen treatments in 15- and 30-inch rows

Fertilizer placement and application methods

Differences in plant height and node counts

Potential effects on pod development and yield