Across the Midwest and in Washtenaw County, farmers are recovering from muddy fields and standing water that hampered their efforts to get corn in the fields. Meanwhile, this spring’s wet weather and fluctuating temperatures have set back vegetable and fruit farmers, as well.

According to the USDA, corn planting in the Midwest was 53 percent behind last week compared to a year ago and 37 percent behind the 10-year average.

Longtime Dexter Township farmer Carl Lesser said this has been the wettest spring since 1943, when he couldn’t get into the fields to plant until June 15.

But back then, he said, farmers were more diversified — they didn’t depend on just corn or soybeans to pay the bills. Instead, they planted other crops and had sheep, pigs, chickens and horses.

“We weren’t just rotating corn and soy beans,” he says.

However, the last few days of sunny skies have helped Washtenaw County farmers get into their fields to till and plant.

Wade Pregitzer of Munith grows vegetables and melons on 20 acres for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) customers as well as three farmers markets.

He’s predicting an “interesting season” ahead, with a surplus of vegetables in the middle of the season. Expect markets to be inundated with tomatoes and corn.

But, as of last week, his early tomatoes weren’t growing because of the cold.

“It shocks them when we go from one extreme to the next," he says.

Because of the weather, he hasn’t been able to get into his fields on schedule.

“Everything has been held up due to extreme wetness. Just as the fields begin to dry, it rains again, frequent and heavy,” he says.

Three or four years ago, he says, there was heavy rain in late May but it dried out rather quickly. Not so this year, which has been the wettest spring on record for the area. May alone saw 7.32 inches of rain.

And though the top of the soil in the fields might look dry in some areas, it’s wet 3, 4 or 5 inches below the surface. Farmers need about 6 inches of dry ground to properly till, fertilize and plant their seeds.

Add to that standing water and erosion from all the rain and farmers were relieved to see the sun over the weekend. Last week, Pregitzer said, he was two plantings behind and he missed his first sweet corn planting, which usually happens April 15. He says he didn’t get out in the field until May 1.

“Everything comes is cycles,” he says, predicting a hot and dry summer that will be good for sweet corn.

If corn isn’t in the ground by mid-June, farmers at larger operations must decide if they will plant soy beans or leave some fields idle. If fields are not planted, then farmers will have to fight weeds or plant a cover crop such as wheat until next year.

Some of the larger farming operations buy crop insurance to protect themselves because although one bad year might not wipe them out, two in a row could put them under.

Local Farm Bureau insurance agent David Tapping said in recent years, more and more farmers have been asking for information about crop insurance.

Lesser uses an average of 30,000 kernels per acre, with a bag of corn averaging $150 to $250, and each bag containing 80,000 kernels.

Some farmers might have as much as $3,000 to $4,000 invested in upfront costs when they head into the fields. Too much rain after planting can affect their yield and reduce their profits.

As for Pregitzer, he was able to plant last weekend and hoped that he wouldn't have to move back the date for the first weekly pick-up for his CSA customers. It's scheduled for early July.

Meanwhile, those with crops already in the ground will wait and hope that heavy rain doesn't wash out seeds and seedlings.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com.