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Small grain harvest going well
Published 12:00pm Tuesday, August 19, 2008Farmers in Otter Tail County are pleased with two aspects of the small grain harvest that’s currently underway. First, the harvest is going well. Second, yields are close to the average of previous years.
County Extension Educator Vince Crary, based in New York Mills, said the harvest of oats, barley and wheat is meeting the expectations of many farmers throughout the county.
“That being said, we really could use some rainfall, especially here in eastern Otter Tail County,” Crary said. “That’s especially true for later crops such as soybeans and corn that will be harvested after Labor Day.”
Minnesota’s potato harvest also is underway, with seven percent of the crop harvested as of Sunday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In its weekly crop report for the state, the USDA also said corn began to enter the dent stage of development during the past week.
The average temperature for the week was 67.8 degrees, 0.7 degrees below normal. Statewide topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday were 13 percent very short, 28 percent short, 58 percent adequate, and one percent surplus.
As of Sunday, 74 percent of corn was in the milk stage compared with 98 percent last year and an 89 percent average. Twenty percent of corn was in the dough stage, compared with 69 percent last year and 48 percent average.
Soybeans were 89 percent setting pods, compared with 95 percent last year and a 93 percent average.
Spring wheat was 15 percent harvested, compared with 74 percent last year and a 57 percent average. Barley was 39 percent harvested, compared with 94 percent last year and a 74 percent average. Oats were 57 percent harvested, compared with 95 percent last year and an 82 percent average.
As of Friday, 67 percent of the corn and 68 percent of the soybean crops were rated in good or excellent condition. Eighty-one percent of spring wheat, 77 percent of barley, and 69 percent of oats were rated in good or excellent condition.
