The long, cold winter is over. But for farmers, the brutal weather is having lingering effects.

While temperatures are going up, the ground is colder than normal following a tough winter that had 17 days of temperatures below zero.

“I just checked the soil temperature (Tuesday) and it was just above 40 degrees,” said Andy Gaver, a conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Butler. “Guys are behind schedule, and that's because of the weather. It's really putting some guys in a bind.”

Gaver said the ground was frozen about 10 inches below the surface, meaning thawing has been delayed.

“We should have had that happen the last half of March,” Gaver said.

The cold soil is causing delays for many farmers trying to prepare their fields, especially for crops set to be in the ground by early April.

“It's put us about two weeks behind,” said Harold Foertsch, the owner of Har-Lo Farms in Jefferson Township.

Foertsch grows a variety of crops on about 1,200 owned and rented acres, including corn, soy, hay, wheat and oats.

While most farmers don't begin planting corn and soy until May, some larger farms often begin earlier.

“It wouldn't be uncommon for big operations to plant corn this week or next,” Gaver said. “This year they may not have any planted until after Easter.”

Gaver said sweet corn may be more susceptible to the cold than grain corn.

Other popular crops like oats and alfalfa are normally set to be planted by mid-April.

“Normally I'd be planting on the 6th of April,” said Edward Thiele, owner of the Thiele Dairy Farm in Jefferson Township. “The ground's definitely cold for this time of year.”

Thiele mostly plants alfalfa and oats to feed his herd.

Gaver said the combination of cool weather and rain has prevented the soil from heating up.

“Look at this week,” he said. “It's 60 degrees one day but then the next it rains. We'll need more nice days for the soil to thaw.”

A delay in planting could be a big problem for yields this year.

“Once it gets after your optimum plant date, your yield could drop,” Thiele said. “And if it stays cold, it can slow down growth.”

The dairy farmer said the cold weather could make it difficult to feed his cattle.

“The majority of what I grow goes to the cows,” he said. “If we don't get the yields, we may have to buy feed.”

While buying feed cuts into a farm's bottom line, Thiele said the weather may lead to an increased demand for feed across the county, leading to higher prices.

“Everybody's in the same boat,” he said. “And if everyone needs it, the price will go up.”

Not surprisingly, the cold winter also had an impact on crops planted in the fall.

“The cold weather didn't help us any,” said Cory Stuchal, a Mercer Township farmer.

Stuchal said his wheat and hay had to withstand the winter's freezing conditions.

“With winter crops, there is some concern over frost damage and how they'll yield,” he said.

“It was the coldest I can remember it being in the last 15 or 20 years,” Stuchal said. “It was definitely below average.”

The cold soil may be a headache for farmers, but prolonged cold temperatures could make things even more difficult.

“Just because you put it in the ground doesn't mean it'll grow,” Foertsch said. “If the ground is too cold, it takes longer to germinate. Warm soil will get the seed out quicker and you'll have a better yield.”

Despite the delays, most farmers seem to be taking the weather in stride.

“I'm not worried quite yet,” Thiele said. “I've been doing this long enough where I've seen everything.”

Foertsch said this isn't the first time he's dealt with weather problems.

“The 1988 drought was pretty bad,” he said. “You can't control the weather. You just have to deal with it.”