(Lakefield, Mn.)– There’s good news and bad news with the much above normal temperatures and the dry conditions when it comes to the harvest. While it’s allowed producers to make great progress, Jim Nesseth of Extended Ag Services say the extremely dry conditions have caused some issues with soybeans as they’re being harvested…
“The moisture has really dropped in a lot of these soybean fields and the plants and beans, and so we’re getting some down to around eight, nine percent and you lose some weight there with the final yield because of the moisture and shatter loss increases, so.”
As a result, Nesseth says yields are somewhat variable…
“Some below 50, some sub 50’s there, and of course some up in the 70’s. A lot of these beans I think are going to be in that high 50’s low 60’s for field averages.”
Nesseth estimates the soybean harvest is now about 75 to 80 percent complete. Now, he says attention is starting to turn to corn, especially in fields where wilting and stalk rot can be seen…
“The moisture there is getting down there, too, to where there’s sub 20’s and low 20’s moisture contents there in the corn, so they’re going to go right to the corn.”
Producers are reminded to use extra caution with the harvest and the long hours. Likewise, motorists are advised to use extreme caution as well with increased farm traffic and areas of reduced visibility caused by dust from combines.
(Photo courtesy Jason Jacobs)
