September 28, 2007

Dewey Lienemann, Extension Educator in Webster and Clay counties: Corn and soybean harvests are underway full bore, with 105- to 110-day varieties of corn and dryland corn and early group soybeans being the first to be harvested. Moisture for some beans was in the single digits and corn was at 12-16%. Yield reports have been excellent: dryland corn at 120-170 bu/ac, with some pivot corners at 85-110 bu/ac, and dryland beans at 40-65 bu/ac. Some irrigated corn has been harvested but we have had a lot of reports of corn not drying down, possibly due to stalk rot. Some farmers are picking higher moisture corn because they fear stalks may go down.

Many fields that were hit hard with grey leaf spot and rust looked harvest-ready a couple weeks ago, but are in the 19-21% moisture range. These fields just don't seem to dry down. Reports on irrigated corn yields have been excellent with many reports over 200 bu/ac and a couple over 235. Some fields were reported with lesser yields due to some tip back on the ears.

A lot of irrigated soybeans in our area seem to be too green yet, with some fields still in forage. We did have some damage from green cloverworms at early pod, but the yields seem to still be good in the fields that have been harvested. I heard one report of 75 bu/ac on an irrigated soybean field. After lackluster first cuttings of alfalfa (in fact, horrible), we finally are getting a good report on at least one cutting. Prairie hay reports are of excellent quality and tonnage. Pasture conditions are the best I have seen in about 10 years, but we still have a lot of damage in rangeland with bare spots and weeds. It is good to finally see some bluestem and Indiangrass shooting up heads.

Several producers have started weaning calves — some trying fenceline weaning. I received a lot of questions this fall on treating seed wheat with fungicides and insecticides after last years fiasco. Seed wheat is in short supply and some late shoppers have had to drive a long way to get seed that wasn't affected by rust and diseases this year. A lot of bin run seed is less than desirable test weight. There has been a lot of discussion on what varieties to use this year. I have not seen much wheat go in yet, but expect to see a lot go in after this weekend. It will depend on how bean and corn harvest proceeds, as there are a lot of nervous farmers every time a wind comes up.

Gary Lesoing, Extension Educator in Nemaha County: Corn harvest has been progressing steadily in Nemaha, Richardson and Otoe counties the past two weeks. Some corn is down due to strong wind storms in August and yield and quality will suffer with high harvest losses expected. Reports of corn yields have been excellent and above average, ranging from 150 bu/ac on dryland upland fields to 200 bu/ac on an irrigated field. I conducted yield checks in several Nemaha County fields earlier this week. Yields ranged from 164 bu/ac on dryland upland fields to 178 bu/ac on dryland bottomland fields to 208 bu/ac on irrigated fields.

Soybeans are dropping leaves and maturing. Yields should be good, although in some fields damage from pod feeding by grasshoppers and/or bean leaf beetles may reduce quality. While the August rains increased potential soybean yields, they also increased the incidence of diseases in soybeans. Double cropped soybeans look very good this year. Some wheat has been planted and much more is expected to be planted this fall. Reports are that quality seed wheat is in short supply.

Gary W Hergert, Extension Soils Specialist, Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff: Dry bean harvest is moving along rapidly in the Panhandle and wheat planting is done except where it's following dry beans. Millet harvest is nearing completion. Early sugar beet harvest started. High moisture corn harvest is nearing completion as moisture levels are falling too low. Moisture in most corn is still too high for normal harvest. Several Extension specialists (Hergert, Lyon, Burgener) driving in the Panhandle and to points east (Lincoln) in the past couple weeks reported lots of acres being planted to wheat, with many planted fields much further east than the traditional wheat growing regions.

Wheat prices of +$7/bu has caught the attention of producers. Much of that wheat may never be harvested, but planting wheat can be a low cost investment if you wait to fertilize until next spring after seeing how the crop survived the winter. Corn and soybean prices for 2008 will determine how much of that wheat finds its way to the bin. Another option for many producers further east is doublecropping, either sunflower or soybean if wheat harvest is early enough. Sunflower prices are holding and 70 bu/ac wheat at $+7/bu and even 30 bu/ac double-cropped soybeans at $7.50/bu makes more money than 200 bushel corn at $3.20.

Douglas Anderson, Extension Educator in Keith, Arthur and Perkins counties: Harvest is just beginning — corn is still mostly drying in the field. Millet harvest is mostly over with a good yield slightly above average at 40 bu/ac. Corn harvest is expected to be average, which is way above the past seven years on dryland acres. Wheat planting is 75% done.