By Megan Boatwright, Local News 8 Reporter
October 15th is a magical day for farmers. The final day of harvest season, so naturally the farming community wasn't thrilled by the overnight snow.
When Rhett Summers woke up Monday, he knew it wouldn't be a harvest day. "The rain last night gave me the feeling snow was on the way," Summers said.
Even though Summerco Farms has already dug most of its potatoes, there's still plenty in the ground.
"No reason to hit the panic button yet," Summers said. "If it continues we'll start getting worried."
Gale Harding works with Madison County farmers for the University of Idaho Extension Office. He, like many others, has been keeping up with the forecast.
"Within the next week it's supposed to be sunny and into the 50's and low 60's, which is ideal digging weather," Harding said.
Summers said the biggest worries are those overnight colder temperatures, "It could freeze the top layers of the soil," he said. "That could damage the potatoes."
Most farmers in Madison County have their crops about a third of the way harvested. If the weather doesn't start to cooperate soon farmers could lose millions of dollars this season.
More than anything, snow and cold temperatures mean late nights and long hours until the last spud is out of the ground.
"The ox is going to be in mire," Summers said. "Once this weather dries out we'll be doing late night and as early as we can start."
Gale Harding says if the weather does cooperate most farmers could have up to 90% of their potatoes harvested by the end of the week.
