Johnstown, Pa — Due to the unseasonably warm winter – farmers from across our coverage area have begun planting earlier than normal this season.
6 News spoke to two farmers – one in Bedford county and another in Centre county who both say this is the earliest season they’ve planted for in a while.
“This year the weathers nice earlier than normal so lots of guys are planting, I’m sure,” said Robert Lehman, the owner of Lehman Farms.
And Lehman is one of 'those guys' who began planting earlier than normal this season.
“Its favorable weather,” said Lehman. “You take a chance, a gamble and try something anyhow. Maybe not everything but get a start on it.”
Lehman tells 6 News at his 224 acre farm - they plant a bunch of different vegetables as well as wheat and oats – on Thursday he began planting oats!
“Oats you should be done planting by the end of April and corn by the end of may, that’s your goal,” added Lehman.
Lehman believes the earlier you start planting - the better for harvest and sales – although he says it is risky.
“We could have a frost yet, we could and if the corn is up, it can really knock it back or even kill it if its hard enough,” said Lehman. “So that’s a lot of money wasted for seed, its about one hundred bucks an acre for seed, then you got to go in a replant.”
However, one farmer in Centre county has that taken care of.
“This is so abnormally early. Normally we don’t plant till almost the end of April,” said Jason Coopey, the owner of Way Fruit Farm.
Coopey tells Channel 6 he has everything planted as of Thursday.
“So today we just started planting our first corn of the season,” added Coopey. “We plant it under the plastic that actually acts like a little mini greenhouse to get the temperatures up.”
Coopey says normally this time of the year is cold and wet – and the weather could change over night but his fruit trees can survive in the cold and the plastic he draped over his corn will keep them protected.
“It’s perfect condition for planting, it just could be any better,” said Coopey.
Since these farmers were able to plant so early – they believe they will be able to sell their produce even before the Forth of July – which is normally when everything is ready to go from the farm to the kitchen table.
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