JANESVILLE, Wis. -- The spring weather in southern Wisconsin has been just wet enough to cause headaches for local farmers.

For the second year in a row, some are going to be late getting into the fields.

In the spring of 2008, it was the record-setting snow melt that saturated the ground.

The snow melt problems don't exist this spring, but it has rained just enough to keep machinery out of the fields.

Farmer Bob Purkapile said he doesn't care for the sound of water and frogs emanating from his farm fields.

"You'll look at water on your property like this where you know you're not going to be able to get in and farm on it," said Purkapile.

Purkapile said he's anticipating the loss of more than 100 acres of crops.

Parts of his fields are too wet to even start working, a problem he faced just last year.

"We planted soybeans once, got in everything we had," said Purkapile. "We come back, it rained a lot, flooded them out, and we ended up planting them a second time, and then it got flooded out again."

USDA district conservationist Roger Allan concurs with Purkapile's assessment.

"First week of May, and normally there'd be a much higher percentage of crops that have been planted than what we're seeing now at this time of the year," he said.

A late start doesn't necessarily mean a disastrous growing season. But time is running short.

"My guess is if we have some dry weather the next couple of weeks, it's going to be around the clock getting things in the ground," said Allan.

Purkapile said Mother Nature always throws farmers a curveball and that adjusting to the yearly challenges is part of the farmer's job.

"Right now, we're looking at doing fields in chunks, do the largest part we can without getting stuck or any problems," said Purkapile.

Of course, more rain means more than an inconvenience. Less crop production means less income following a difficult 2008.

"That bottom line is what it all comes down to," said Purkapile.

Officials said there are different varieties of corn that can be planted, and that some take a shorter period to mature.

No doubt following a difficult year, farmers could really use a solid planting season to help carry them through the winter.