Mud makes harvest a struggle

By Casey Briggs of Clark, S.D.

We are currently on another rain delay this morning, Aug. 4. Total rainfall for the year is at 27 inches.

We have been trying harvest the small grains around here, and it’s been a bit of a struggle. We've had combines stuck more times than I count. Along with the cart. 

Yields are down, and test weights are low. It is muddy. It appears most of the haying projects are going the same way: slow, wet and muddy. 

Some oats fields have been swathed, but very little has been picked up in the neighborhood, I assume they just will not dry out. 

The sunflowers seem to be doing well, and the corn has come around. 

We are all finished with the winter wheat harvest and about half done with spring wheat. The forecast appears to look good again for a few days mid-week, so I hope we can finish up this week.

The yields are a little better and the test weight is around 60 pounds. The winter wheat was probably a 56-57-pound average test weight. Proteins are lower, as well. At least so far the falling numbers are good and the vomitoxin or DON (deoxynivalenol) fungus is low and the wheat is still mostly marketable. Silver linings.

We could use some sunshine and heat up here on the hill.