MOLINE, Illinois — Friday, June 21st, marks the first official day of summer.
In fact, the summer solstice will officially happen at 10:54 a.m. Central. This happens when the Earth is tilted at 23.5 degrees, where the North Pole is facing mostly toward the sun.
The solstice is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.
Plant and Garden expert Craig Hignight says this is the best time for farmers and gardeners.
“We get the best growth,” Highnight said. ” That’s why we grow so much corn and soybeans in the Midwest. Believe it or not, with all the rain we’ve had, July is technically our wettest month. When we get the most rain, it probably has to do in conjunction with the solstice. That’s why crops grow so well here in the Midwest.”
We will go through fall solstice in September.
