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No. 9: Quality, quantity of corn, wheat harvest good
Published 12/22/2009 in Local News
Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of 10 stories counting down The Telegram's top 10 stories of 2009 as chosen by the staff of The Telegram. Today's story, No. 9, is about the 2009 harvest.
By RACHAEL GRAY
The year 2009 was a good one for southwest Kansas crops, and although farmers were harvesting corn up until December, most were pleased with the outcome of both the wheat harvest and corn harvest.
Jay Garetson from Providence Grain in Haskell County, said overall he was pleased.
"In general, the wheat harvest was good and the fall crops, other than moisture being a challenge, were good," he said.
He attributed crop conditions to a cooler and wetter summer.
Garetson said for Haskell County, crops were profitable this year.
"Prices were pretty good but it's been a challenge for livestock," he said.
He said he was concerned about higher grain prices and people not being able to afford grain for livestock.
For most area farmers, the wheat harvest wrapped up in mid-July with many satisfied with the yields and quality of the wheat.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, 369.6 millions bushels of Kansas wheat came in, up from 356 million bushels in 2008. Kansans planted 9.3 million acres and harvested 8.8 million. The average yield was 42 bushels, up from 40 bushels in 2008.
Dave Erwin, of Syracuse Co-op Exchange in Hamilton County, said July 7 that harvest was finishing in Hamilton County.
"We had quite a bit more wheat than expected, and what we got was better quality than expected," he said.
In Greeley County, Dan Hild, from Tribune Grain, said in July he had some reports of less than average crops because of a dry winter, presence of the mosaic fungus, mite problems and the hessian fly, which lays eggs on the wheat plant and eats the stock.
"Usually, no hessian flies are reported west of Ness City, but we did have some reports this year," he said in July.
As for corn, most farmers saw a late harvest. In mid-November a warm spell allowed some farmers to make up lost time due to wet weather earlier in October and November.
Toward the end of November, area farmers were wrapping up, but some continued harvesting into December.
Although the crops were late, many area farmers reported a good harvest.
Erwin said the corn harvest was finished as of Nov. 20 in Hamilton County.
"It was better than average," Erwin said. "Yields were pretty good, the quality was quite good. We had the right amount of moisture this year," he said.
In Scott County at the Scott Co-op Association, Gary Friesen said overall, the crop was excellent this year.
He said in November that the yields were "incredible" and the quality had been, too.
"We had an excellent growing season that helped grow a great crop," he said.
Friesen said because the crop had been so great, it was difficult to complete harvest .
"We've battled drying down time," he said.
Friesen attributed the great crop to the humid, cooler temperatures earlier in the season.
"Instead of that terrible August heat, it stayed cool for the most part," he said.
No statistics are available yet for corn for silage from the NASS report for 2009.
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