COLUMBUS, Ohio — Temperatures ranged from the 20s to the 70s and conditions included rain, snow, and even tornadoes during the first week of March.

March 24 will mark the beginning of the Spring season and by that time farmers will likely be prepared to begin field work ahead of planting seeds.

Agriculture expert, Andy Vance said many farmers begin thinking about planting season at the start of the new year.

"We're always thinking about what comes next on the farm," Vance said. "It's a progression of seasons, activities; even when you think there's nothing going on, there's a lot going on to get ready for next season's activities."

Vance said planting early, during the beginning of March, may be risky.

"Spring is just around the corner. We've had some of these warm days that really get you itching to do some sort of fieldwork even if it's not putting seed in the ground, but patience is a virtue. Prudence really makes a big difference, particularly because we've had this erratic weather and in recent years we've had more volatility in weather, so getting in the field too early is every bit as dangerous as getting in the field too late," he said.

Cold, wet conditions can be problematic for seed growth.

The USDA's Crop Progress & Condition Report examines temperature, precipitation, and crop-planting progress among other factors. The weekly report will be issued in April.

If you have an idea for the Ag Report, a question for Chuck and Andy or you'd like to send a photo of your farm and the work you do, send an email to charles.ringwalt@charter.com. You can also follow Chuck on Facebook.