Farmers in the Quill Lakes are able to use fields that were previously under water thanks to a recent dry spell over the last couple of years.

Quill Lake area farmer Dwight Odelein says the lake has gone down by about six inches.

“That’s obviously heading in the right direction, but it has been a dry year,” Odelein said. “I know there’s a farm a couple of miles north of the lake, I think they had about four and a half inches of rain since the first part of may, so that’s not very much.”

However, Odelein says while it’s good that the lake is going down, there hasn’t been enough rain to grow a good crop.

“From what I’ve seen and what I’ve been hearing, I’d say we probably got a good, average crop,” Odelein said. “It’s good that the lake’s receding, but it would be nice to have a couple more inches (of rain).”

Odelein says an inch or more of rain a couple of weeks ago would have helped crop conditions in the area.

“It’s ripening a little bit prematurely under drought stress,” Odelein said.

Odelein says combines have started rolling in the area, but many farmers are waiting for more rain for their crops to mature.