Brian Regehr finished combining 80 acres of wheat north of Iola a couple of days ago and noted it made better than 50 bushels an acre.
While that isn’t at the top rung of yields this season, it’s nothing to sneeze at.
The field, on a parcel of rocky upland, usually produces good wheat, Regehr continued. Wheat isn’t fond of a lot of moisture, and with its growing season early in the year before Kansas’ famed hot summer weather sets in, it can get by on shallower topsoil than can corn or soybeans.
Regehr hasn’t decided whether to follow the wheat with soybeans, which if he did wouldn’t be a lock for a crop. In past years he has had mixed results with late-season beans.
Carla Nemecek, director of Southwind Extension District who cuts her teeth in the service as an ag agent, said wheat yields were surprisingly good.
“I’d heard of everything from 30 to 70 and 80 bushels an acre,” Nemecek said, with higher yields being relatively prominent.
Kenny Smail, at Piqua Co-op, had a similar observation.
“We’re gotten in wheat from not very good to 60 and 70 bushels,” Smail said. “I’ve been surprised at the quality of the wheat as wet as it has been.”
While the harvest just shifted into full swing, as a rule farmers cut their best wheat first. This time of year severe weather can materialize and a hail storm can trash a field of choice wheat in a matter of minutes.
“I think the wheat is better than anyone expected,” Nemecek said, “but I can’t honestly say why. Was it genetics? The right weather? I do know we haven’t had many reports of insects and disease.
“I imagine it was a combination of things.”
The only negative aside to the wheat harvest Nemecek has noticed is in their zeal to put wheat in bins, farmers have used combines with huge tires and often four-wheel drive into wheat standing on muddy ground. With combines cutting deep ruts, that may put a damper on second-cropping with soybeans, she said.
A ROBUST wheat harvest may be the precursor to a fine year for farmers.
“I think the corn is going to be exciting,” Nemecek said, an opinion shared by Dick Works, who has many acres planted to corn west of Humboldt.
“This is the best corn, at this stage, I’ve seen in a long time,” Works said. However, “My wife reminded me that’s what I said in 2007 and then we had the flood.”
Corn flourishes when it can tap into generous moisture and days are hot and humid, all which have been in ample supply this month.
