Sara Schafer, AgWeb Crops Online Editor
Sure, your corn may be a little uneven and your beans aren’t as tall as you’d like, but that doesn’t mean your crops will be a wash. Instead of focusing on all the “could be” or “should be” situations, let’s stay on the positive side. Where are crops looking good? Keep reading to find out.
While no one might label this year as “perfect,” it hasn’t been all bad.
For instance, a farmer in Mitchell County, Iowa, says his crops are doing quite well. “Crops look excellent with outstanding yield potential, but we need some heat,” the farmer says.
In Holdingford, Minn., a farmer writes, corn yields in this area are going to be phenomenal this year, baring no hail or early frost. “Minnesota and Iowa are going to produce 200+ bushel corn this year,” the farmer says.
Beans are at waist-high and the corn is all tasseled near Ross County, Ohio, a farmer reports. “Crops look good to excellent around here.”
Further south, in northeast Arkansas, a farmer says his crops are behind, but look promising. “Crops here are still running a week to ten days behind. I would consider the crops overall 90% good to 5% excellent....5% below average,” the farmer reports. “We just got to get thru next 30 days, so things can change.”
Will Bad Pests Prey on Good Crops this Year?
Many farmers have provided reports on pests in their area. The consensus? No, major problems – as of yet.
“There are a few planes around, but I’ve not personally seen any aphids yet,” says a farmer from Chickasaw County, Iowa. “I’ve been scouting a little every few days, hope the little devils stay away.”
In Van Buren County, Iowa, a farmer says they haven’t seen any aphids yet either.
Is the Calendar Turning Too Fast?
A farmer from Richland and Jasper counties, Illinois, says in the past two weeks, they have seen improvements in our corn and soybeans.
“If you look at the corn and soybean crops and don’t look at the calendar you would think that we have good potential for average or above average yields, but “holy cow boys” it is nearly August,” the farmer reports. “Corn is starting to tassel in some areas, however most will tassel within the next week or 10 days. Soybeans are just starting to bloom - should make for an interesting and late fall harvest.”
For More Information
AgWeb Crop Comments
You can e-mail Sara Schafer at sschafer@farmjournal.com.
...................................
This article appeared in the latest issue of AgWeb’s Crop Comments eNewsletter. To sign up for a free subscription, click here.
