Heavy rain last week sparked relief or stress after a patchy season of dryness and downpours.

Widespread rain across the state has blessed thirsty fields in southern and western Iowa, nourished central Iowa crops but smothered some northern Iowa fields with a surplus of moisture as the row-crop growing season reaches its midway point.

In a year marked by the haves and have-nots of precipitation from April through mid-June, most of the state received their fair share of measurable precipitation June 23-26, paving the way for corn and soybean growth to explode in some areas while others now are hoping for the spigot to shut off and let fields dry out.

In western Pottawattamie County, Zach ...