Thunderstorms offered farmers a little relief this morning when New Ulm was hit with its heaviest rain in seven weeks.

However, experts emphasize that much more rain is needed if it is to have any effect on the area’s thirsting crops.

THE OFFICIAL city weather station at South Bridge recorded .38of an inch of rain, a greater amount than fell during the entire month of July.

Throughout July’s 31 days, the city recorded .34 of an inch for the driest July on record in New Ulm. The last heavy rain came June 29 when 1.15inches were recorded in New Ulm.

The rainfall was scattered throughout the rest of the area. Portions of Brown County north and est of New Ulm got as much as an inch of rain during the thunderstorm.

NICOLLET COUNTY received about .10 of an inch, according to County Agent Gregory Luehr .Redwood County received .14 of an inch, according to the University of Minnesota Southwest Experiment Station at Lamberton.

No estimates of the rainfall were available in Sibley County while it was described as “just enough to wet the streets” in Renville County.

While farmers welcomed the moisture, the effect of the rainfall is not expected to be great.

Lonnie Johnson, associate agent at the Brown County Extension Service,described the rain as “kind of a teaser.”

“The inch will help, but it’s not going to solve our problem,”Johnson said. “We’re hurting and we need a lot more rain.”

HARLAND FORD, agronomist at the Lamberton experiment station, indicated that, by itself, the rain won’t have much impact on crop yields.

“I’d just have to make a guess that it won’t help very much,” he said.

Brenda Freeman, associate agent at the Redwood County Extension Service, labeled the rainfall “a drop in the bucket,” adding that it “just put a frosting on what is really needed.”

LUEHR EMPHASIZED that a lot more rain is needed very soon to pick up some of the heavier soils that haven’t already been wiped out by drought. Last week, he said, was particularly hard on the crops.

“Anytime you get a humidity factor, that’s a help,” he conceded.

If the rain helped at all, Ms. Freeman said, it helped the soybean crops more than the corn.

“On the corn crop as such, it wouldn’t have much effect because it didn’t pollinate,” she said. “But with the bean crop, it will help.”

Ford agreed, pointing out that,to a large extent, the corn crop is beyond help. If more rain comes,however, he said, the bean yield could increase because it is based on the size of the seed, which is currently still in the developmental stages.

DURING the thunderstorms, there were also some reports of damage blamed on lightning.

A barn owned by Joseph Grau southwest of New Ulm was destroyed by fire after apparently being struck by lightning early this morning.

In Nicollet, heavy damage to the upstairs of the Larry Hewitt home was reported after it was apparently struck by lightning. According to Fire Chief Donald Leonard, the lightning hit an antenna and went into the house, tearing off plaster and insulation in a bedroom.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Aug. 12, 1975