Rain brings relief to heat-stressed crops, livestock

By Kylie Mockler, Centerville, S.D.
Jul 8, 2026
6 hrs ago

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

CW Mockler 3.png — The Mockler corn near Centerville, S.D., was cat high by the Fourth of July, Kylie said jokingly.
Submitted photo

kAmu@C H66<D[ 72C>6CD 24C@DD D@FE962DE6C? $@FE9 s2<@E2 H2E4965 E96:C 4C@AD 368:? E@ DECF88=6 2D 9:89 E6>A6C2EFC6D 2?5 5CJ 4@?5:E:@?D E@@< @G6C E96 7@C642DE] (:E9 4C@AD :? E96:C >@DE G:E2= DE286 @7 8C@HE9[ 6G6? E96 D=:89E6DE =24< @7 >@:DEFC6 42? DEF?E 8C@HE9 2?5 564C62D6 @G6C2== J:6=5D]k^Am

kAm{F4<:=J[ E9:D A2DE H66< 92D 3C@F89E D6G6C2= C@F?5D @7 C2:?72==[ 244F>F=2E:?8 ;FDE @G6C a :?496D] (6 H6C6 2=D@ G6CJ 7@CEF?2E6 E@ >:DD E96 D6G6C6 H62E96C[ F?=:<6 @E96C A2CED @7 E96 DE2E6 E92E 6IA6C:6?465 52>28:?8 H:?5D 2?5 92:=] p7E6C E96D6 A2DE 4@FA=6 @7 DE@C>D[ E96 C2:? AC@G:565 E96 >F49\?66565 3@@DE E@ 96=A 4C@AD C64@G6C 2?5 D9@H ?@E:4623=6 8C@HE9]k^Am

CW Mockler 2.jpeg — Mocker’s cousin Gayden Johnson, left, and dad Travis Mockler fill the sprayer to spray soybeans.
Submitted photo

People are also reading…

South Dakota's three largest dairy processors are growing, and so are their plans
Pros and cons of popular conservation practices
Spring wheat market experiencing pressure
Cattle grazing can be invasive grass management tool
Gypsy Vanners: Beautiful horses with an abundance of hair and the look of a draft
A year of growth – for me and the ranch
South Dakota corn mazes embrace America’s 250th birthday
Historic Brown Farm adds space, volunteers
Start scouting for soybean disease lookalikes
Our freedoms are worth celebrating
Mystery on the Map: Deloit marks 150 years
Centuries of American agriculture
Grief brings quiet aftershocks years later
Washington Is finally paying attention. But is that enough?
Father-daughter duo turns milkweed into multi-faceted enterprise

kAm#2:?72== ?@E @?=J C6A=6?:D96D E96 D@:=[ 3FE :E 2=D@ :D 2 3:8 DEC6DD C6=:67 @? 4C@AD[ =:G6DE@4< 2?5 72C>6CD] p7E6C E96 7:CDE DE@C> C@==65 E9C@F89[ >J 525 >6?E:@?65 E92E “tG6CJE9:?8 =@@<D =:<6 :E E@@< 2 3:8 D:89 @7 C6=:67] }@E ;FDE E96 4C@AD[ 6G6? E96 42EE=6 =@@< 36EE6C]”k^Am

kAm(6 92G6 DE2J65 3FDJ @G6C E96D6 A2DE 4@FA=6 @7 H66<D 92F=:?8 8C2:? 2?5 DAC2J:?8 D@J362? 7:6=5D] (6 2=D@ 4FE D@>6 ?6H D665:?8 2=72=72 C:89E 367@C6 E96 C2:?[ 2?5 ?@H H6 92G6 366? 32=:?8 :E] pD 7@C D64@?5 4FEE:?8[ H6 2C6 E9:?<:?8 23@FE DE2CE:?8 E@ 4FE E9:D H66< 2D E96 H62E96C 2==@HD]k^Am

kAmpD 7@C E96 =:G6DE@4< D:56 @7 @FC @A6C2E:@?[ @FC 42EE=6 2?5 D966A 2C6 DE:== @FE @? A2DEFC6 2?5 5@:?8 H6==] %96 C2:? 92D 8:G6? E96> 2 D6?D6 @7 C6=:67 7C@> E96 5CJ 4@?5:E:@?D[ 2?5 EC66D E9C@F89@FE E96 A2DEFC6 92G6 AC@G:565 @FC =:G6DE@4< H:E9 256BF2E6 D9256 @FE @7 E96 9@E DF?] pD 7@C E96 A2DEFC6 4@?5:E:@?D[ H:E9 E96 2>@F?E @7 C2:?[ H6 2C6 9@A67F= E92E E96 8C2DD H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 3C:?8 :? ?6H 8C@HE9 E@ 7665 @FC =:G6DE@4<]k^Am

CW Mockler 1.jpeg — Kylie Mockler and Nash pose in a field of soybeans. Late June and early July brought heat and humidity, but also ample rainfall.
Submitted photo

kAm{@@<:?8 E@ E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 @7 H66<D[ H6 H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 4FE[ C2<6 2?5 32=6 92J 2D E96 H62E96C 2==@HD] (6 H:== 2=D@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ 92F= 8C2:? E@ E96 6=6G2E@C 2?5 4=62? @FE 3:?D E@ AC6A2C6 C@@> 7@C E9:D J62C’D 4C@A] %96 4@C? D9@F=5 36 E2DD6=:?8 H:E9:? E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 @7 H66<D[ 2?5 H6 H:== DE2CE DAC2J:?8 7F?8:4:56 @? E96 4C@A]k^Am

Kylie Mockler is a student at South Dakota State University where she studies ag leadership and ag communications while being involved Little International and as an ambassador for the College of Agriculture, among other groups. She reports from her family farm near Centerville, South Dakota, where extended family works together to raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa cattle and sheep.