TOM LUTEY
A little May soil clenched into the palm of a calloused hand can tell a farmer plenty about the state of spring and whether a spattering of recent storms have undone the spell of a very dry winter.
It has snowed three times since Hi-Line farmer Adam Carney started seeding 20 days ago. His tires are leaving ruts going in and out of the field, but the soil in his hand tells him the moisture stops a few inches below the surface.
âItâs still dry when I run my hand, you know. It will hold and make a ball when I grab dirt, but you can tell the moisture I did receive, thereâs still dry dirt if you dig deep enough,â said Carney, who farms west of Scobey near Peerless.