In general, last weekend's rain hasn't done significant damage to crops in the area mostly because low areas were already drowned out earlier this year, North Dakota Extension Agent Dale Siebert said.

There's no significant new damage being reported by area farmers, he said.

It looks like the ground handled the rain pretty well despite the 5 inches of rain received in the Colfax area, said Paul Kummer, who grows wheat, corn, soybeans and sugar beets.

While the wheat is already harvested, Kummer said he still has other crops to worry about and won't be able to tell how his low lands are doing until the ground dries and he can get out there to check crops.

Even with the recent rain he doesn't see any major areas of concern, although he's a little worried about the corn because it needs some heat, he said. "But there's nothing I can do about it at this point."

Sugar beet growers aren't necessarily complaining about the recent 4-6 inches of moisture. Because the soil was so very dry it will loosen things up and make harvest a little easier for lifting beets, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative Communications Manager Susan Johnson said.

Minn-Dak will open up hauling to anybody who can start bringing beets in today during the pre-lift phase of harvest. There will be two outside stations open to producers, Johnson said. The Tyler and Lyngaas stations are scheduled to lift today.

Soils throughout the growing area are so different, drainage will determine what producers can bring in and when, she added. The sandy soils in the Galchutt area means producers there can often begin lifting beets when no one else can.

The factory itself is expected to start up sometime Friday.

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