It has was not a good winter and cold temperatures keep popping up from time to time during a week.  In fact, State Climatologist Jim Angel with the Illinois State Water Survey, says we are about 7 to 8 degrees below average for March and that began in November.  The big complaint was the amount of snowfall, some record amounts in Illinois, but that didn’t translate to much moisture says Angel.  Despite that, the frozen ground has kept some moisture in the ground, so he says the soil moisture values look pretty good.  But, he says, it may take more time before farmers can get out and begin working the fields.