August 27, 2024

 

Carter County - Michael Hansen

Done harvesting finally and now that the combine is parked it has quit raining. The end of harvest was quite welcome. The chickpea crop averaged between 20 and 25 bushel. Started rebuilding corrals so we can ship yearling steers out after Labor Day. Should be working on drill but can’t seem to find the ambition to go seed sub four dollar winter wheat. Moisture conditions have been poor. Winter wheat, Durum, Barley, Garbanzos, Canola, Mustard, Oats, Hay, and Hay barley were seeded this growing year.

 

Chouteau County - Nathan Keane

We have finished harvest. Moisture conditions have been good. We have received .25 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Barley, Lentils, Garbanzos, Canola, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Barley is harvested. Flea beetle is present in our newly seeded winter canola. Pig weed, cheat grass, kotchia, and Russian thistle are present as well.

    

 

Fergus County - Boyd Heilig

We were able to wrap up harvest yesterday (8/26). Yields were all over the board but all in all it was a good crop year. Above normal temps and below normal precipitation in July curbs the yields for sure. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have not received any precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Barley, and Canola were seeded this growing year. Soil moisture is all but gone. Will have a hard time getting any winter wheat seeded.

 

Fergus County - Robert Bold

Finally done with harvest. Kept getting these afternoon splash and dashes that stopped harvest that day and made for a late start after it dried. Crops were great yielders this year. But the price is a different matter. Took $2.30 out of the winter wheat market since May. Plus the basis sucks. No one wants to own wheat. Wheat is kind of an orphan. Corn has 1/3 of its production used by one industry…the transportation industry.  Soybeans has one customer that buys 1/4 of total production. Wheat has 45% of its production export and has to bid and butt heads with foreign exporters to get the business. Looking at basis, the grain trade is not in the mood to own wheat either. Or unlike the NPE years where the grain trade would like to have possession of your grain and pay for it later; now they would like not only possession but ownership. Could that mean wheat is at a bottom? We will know by Christmas. It is fun to cut a heavy crop. May and June were both below average precipitation but with cool temperatures. August is above average precipitation. Plan to catch our breath and look at winter wheat seeding. Soil samples later this week. Chem fallow appears to have good moisture. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received just some afternoon traces of precipitation to keep you out of the field. Winter wheat and Spring wheat were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Spring wheat is harvested.

 

Gallatin County - Dale Flikkema

We just got started with harvest. Moisture conditions have been fair with little showers without moisture. Spring wheat, Lentils, Canola, Mustard, Hemp, Corn, Pats, Sunflower, and Hay were planted this growing year. Spring wheat is in the ripe growth stage.

 

Hill County - Trevor Wolery

Wilson Harvesting finishing a couple of patches today as I begin planting next year’s harvest. Spent last week prepping some fields and topdressing. Kenidee and Rhett back in college along with Karleen and Dirk back in high school last week. Excellent help is truly missed! Evening showers have been rolling thru the area the last couple of weeks ranging in the hundredths to three to four tenths. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received 1.25 inches of precipitation within the last 2 weeks in multiple showers. Winter wheat, Barley, and Mustard were seeded this growing year.

 

  

 

Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews

Finished on Monday the 26 except for one wet spot of barley. SW was a disappointment with yields from 35 to 45. Remember it was all on summer fallow. Too much heat in July that cooked it. Protein was way above average 16.5 to 18.4, never had that high before and remember they only pay to 16. Test weight was 56 to 59. Well, next year might be better. Elevators think harvest is over as they went to regular hours this week. See a lot of spring wheat yet to be harvested or waiting for it to ripen. Moccasin will not take any more WW as the pile is as big as they want. Do not know about Moore. Best to all and will start thinking about next year’s crop and getting the air seeder ready. Moisture conditions have been poor. We received 0.14 inches of precipitation last Monday the 14^th.

 

August 20, 2024

 

Carter County - Michael Hansen

Finally dried out by Thursday and got back to combining. Cut 100 acres of chickpeas and 460 of durum by Friday night…and guess what… it rained again. How good all this would’ve been not on a ripe crop. Have been building a new fence as well and we are just about to wrap up the last stretch of 4.5 miles. The rain and cool weather sure have been nice for the cows and calves. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .1-1 inch of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Durum, Barley, Garbanzos, Canola, Mustard, Oats, Hay, and Hay barley were seeded this growing year.

 

 

Chouteau County - Nathan Keane

We are 92.3% done with harvest. Moisture conditions have been excellent. We have received 1.5 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Barley, Lentils, Garbanzos, Canola, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Barley is harvested. Pig weed and kochia are present at this time.

 

 

Fergus County - Boyd Heilig

We having been harvesting spring wheat this week. Yields are below expectations. Quality is all over the board. We hope to finish harvest by the end of the weekend. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .10 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Barley, and Canola were seeded this growing year. Grasshoppers are becoming thick in spots. 

 

 

Fergus County - Robert Bold

Finally done with winter wheat. I don't know how many days and half days were lost to piddly rain showers. Not much water, just enough to set back harvest. Yields were just excellent, a real bin buster one might say. I could not help but notice the comment Klayton Lohr made about him using a Pro Till on his no till operation. Like Klayton, we have been no till for decades. Several years ago we bought a Summers Super Coulter with heavy harrow attachment to get us in the field days earlier. We noticed a much better stand. Making the additional operation more than worth it. However, after 20 or 30 years of no till, we have 5 or 600 acres with diminishing yields and weed pressure. Last year rather than chem fallow, we put an aggressive disc on those acres in early spring. It woke up a weed pressure like I have never seen. So, we put the disc on it again and followed with a coil packer. Then later, 2 individual passes with sweeps followed by a coil packer. Seeded it last fall. To our surprise it increased our yield just short of 20 bu/ac over adjacent ground seeded the same day. We also noticed a positive difference on our pH reading. The no till scholars say that tillage reduces your organic matter. But so does burning off the stubble, and those operations seem to have good crops. This is just my observation. I am going to stay a no tiller with an open mind but I am paying more attention to the soil and yields. The yield difference and the super clean crop is making me take more notice of options.
Now the Disclaimer: This is in no way meant to sway or convince anyone of the results on our operation or whether or not it will cure or enhance outcomes for other producers. School is starting so there goes the family harvest help which has been relied on for generations to get crops harvested. My how summers fly. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .65 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat and Spring wheat were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Spring wheat is in the ripe growth stage.

 

Gallatin County - Dale Flikkema

We are just starting harvest. Moisture conditions have been fair. Spring wheat, Lentils, Canola, Mustard, Hemp, Corn, Pats, Sunflower, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Spring wheat is in the hard dough growth stage. Hail has been all around us. Small rain events with lots of wind has laid the lentil crop on the ground with most of them going under the cutter bar.

 

Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews

Would have finished the barley on Monday the 19th, but it rained again. For the last week it rained 3 days and 2 were good rains of 0.34 and 0.58 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Fridays 0.10 was just a dust settler. Wished it would have been a wider storm and not just a 2 to 3 mile wide shower. Barley was lite ranging from 39 to 45 pounds. The heat in July was too much and too long. Will start on spring wheat next. It should be better as all of it is on summer fallow. WW harvest is winding down and farmers are moving into spring crops and pulse crops. Best to all stay safe. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received 1.09 inches of precipitation within the last week. Spring wheat, Barley, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Hoppers are showing up more and more.

 

Teton County - Levi Ostberg

Harvest has been slow due to frequent rain shower delays. Moisture conditions have been fair. Winter wheat and Hay were planted this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Barley is in the ripe growth stage. Frequent light showers might be causing sprout.

 

  

 

August 13, 2024

 

Carter County - Michael Hansen

Well, no rain in the last 8 weeks and then the first ten days of August we get 2 inches. How nice this would’ve been the first ten days of July. But I guess nothing we can do about it. I have 600 acres of durum left and 500 acres of chickpeas left. The durum will no longer be 90 hard. All we can say is we tried…binned a hundred acres of chickpeas at 18 moisture before the storms hit and turned the fan on. Have sat since last week. Went to town this weekend for the fair and the parade on Sunday morning…was a wet one and rained the entire time. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received 2 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Durum, Barley, Garbanzos, Canola, Mustard, Oats, Hay, and Hay barley were seeded this growing year. My only concern is just Mother Nature being unfriendly it seems this year.

 

Fergus County - Boyd Heilig

Things have been pretty slow here the last week. Spotty showers every afternoon. We did get some malt barley and canola cut out. The heat in July sure took its toll on the spring crops. Lower test weights and higher protein levels. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .25 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Barley, and Canola were seeded this growing year.

  

 

Fergus County - Robert Bold

Not done with the winter wheat yet as I thought I would be in last week's report. We got rained out Tuesday of last week, finally back in the field Saturday afternoon only to get rained out again. So, we hauled out of the bins to make room for spring wheat. With each rain, we lose 1 pound of test weight, but still above 60--for now. We have been getting a steady of warm SE winds carrying grasshoppers. Abnormal numbers of birds here are gathering up so early--like a whole month early plus a lot of them. But the geese are not in fall training mode yet. Then I realized that these birds are following the migration of their food source--hoppers. I am curious how much longer the wheat market is going to have what I call price fundamental rejection of the positive news. The grain trade in our area is primarily cash or contracted grain only. They would like to both own and control incoming grain. No NPE grain in this area as in past years. Hope everyone has a safe and abundant harvest. Moisture conditions have been good. We have received 1.35 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat and Spring wheat were seeded this growing year.

 

Hill County - Trevor Wolery

98% complete with Harvest as I write this crop report. Winter wheat crop was great and would like to do that one again. Mustard crop continues to disappoint for any stellar yield but still grosses some dollars per acre. Barley has the lite look to it with yields being a bit dismal but at least it’s dirt cheap at the pit! Time to saddle up the sprayer again and make a few laps before the drill can roll. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have not received any precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Barley, and Mustard were seeded this growing year.

   

 

Judith Basin County – Greg Mathews

The last week was one for doing all the repairs that were let go that could. With the cool days and the little rain or spit showers hardly, no harvesting was done. Saturday and Sunday some tried and found it too wet or barely dry. Elevators were turning trucks away that were too wet. Looks like Monday we will try my barley and see how bad it is for test weight and plump even though seeded a little lite…53 pounds. Yields will be down and protein higher. Best to all and be safe. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .11 inches of precipitation within the last week. Barley is in the hard dough growth stage. Spring wheat, Barley, and Hay were seeded this growing year. The grasshoppers are showing up.

 

Teton County - Mitch Konen

Harvest has started here on the Konen farm with winter wheat ready to go. A few other neighbors got started last week on irrigated winter wheat. Saw the first barley being taken yesterday. It will be a couple days of winter wheat for me before I get to the barley as it is ready as well. The morning ritual of servicing the combine has begun. So far, the wheat is doing well. No sample results to report other than the yield monitor. As long as the rain clouds keep splitting and going around me, we will keep chugging along. Got some time to indoctrinate the youngest grandson into farming. He likes to dig dirt. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .35 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Barley, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is in the ripe growth stage. Spring wheat is in the hard dough growth stage. Barley is in the hard dough growth stage. Weather is always a concern this time of year but we will endure it. Wild oats are present.

  

  

 

 

Toole County - Klayton Lohr

Bleaching out shriveled durum kernels. Harvest date will rely entirely on when thunderstorms quit coming through every day. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received 1.5 inches of precipitation within the last week. Durum was seeded this growing year. Thunderstorms dropping lots of rain, causing the durum to lose its color.

 

 

August 6, 2024

 

Carter County - Michael Hansen

Cut the mustard, barley, and canola this week. After the storm and grasshoppers, mustard was a hundred pounds an acre…that was a depressing couple days in the office. Barley was forty and the canola did 15 bushels. Tried the durum but it was 25 moisture. Would have made more money this year if I would’ve just left the machinery in the barn. Oh well…that’s how it goes. Had a dry lightning storm go through and start several fires so had to go do that as well. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have not received any precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Durum, Barley, Garbanzos, Canola, Mustard, Oats, Hay, and Hay barley were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Barley is harvested.

   

 

Fergus County - Boyd Heilig

We finished the winter wheat on Saturday and started on the malt barley on Monday. Was worried about the quality of the barley but was a little better than I thought. Should make specs. Lots of combines rolling right now. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have not received any precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Barley, and Canola were seeded this growing year. Grasshoppers are becoming a big concern for the winter wheat going into next month.

  

 

Fergus County - Robert Bold

We will finish winter wheat this week and head directly into spring wheat. Yields are good with good test weight. Getting off track, sitting on the combine, I could not help but think as I drove over one of the four 1-acre tracts set aside years ago for a country schoolhouse. Like many, Lockie and I went to a one room country school, grades 1 through 8--no K in those days. To this day, my brothers and I call it "Harvard of the Prairie".  We were up town compared to other country schools. We had electricity, a fuel oil floor furnace instead of a pot belly wood stove in the corner, but no circulation fan, and an indoor water from a hand dug cistern under the school's floor with water glass plaster walls and a hand pump. We also had an 8-party line telephone. You answered the phone depending upon how many rings it took to determine if it was for you--or not. However, you could listen to conversation on the line just by picking up the receiver. Whenever there was a phone call, we all got instant homework assignments so the teacher could go listen in to the happenings. Two out houses, not the standard one out house. We were in tall cotton because we had all weather board walk to each out house. Discarded grain doors from the local grain elevator that were no longer able to board up a box car. (No grain cars in those days.) Yep, we were up town at our "Harvard of the Prairie". Just kind of reminded me cutting grain off those 1-acre sites of higher learning from years ago while GPS and Autosteer did the work for my combine. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have not received any precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat and Spring wheat were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is in the ripe growth stage. Spring wheat is in the hard dough growth stage. Grasshoppers migrating in on any east wind that comes along. We had 3 days of a moderate east wind.  The hoppers were on the move. Could not tell if they were incoming or outgoing.

 

Gallatin County – Dale Flikkema

We will hopefully start harvesting next week. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .03 inches of precipitation within the last week. Spring wheat, Lentils, Canola, Mustard, Hemp, Corn, Oats, Sunflower, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Spring wheat is in the hard growth stage. 

 

Hill County - Eric Hanson

Harvest has come to an abrupt stand still up here. We finished cutting winter wheat Saturday night and we’ve had rain showers off and on now for 3 days, totaling 6-7/10ths in the gauge. Glad the smoke and stifling heat has taken a leave of absence. Had a neighbors combine catch fire last week; very thankful no one was hurt and no crop was lost for them. A big thanks to all the local volunteer fire fighters out there. The winter wheat was a beautiful crop, but low protien with heavy discounts at the elevator has tarnished the excitement; on top of already low prices. We will hopefully start on the spring wheat next week, weather permitting. We will see if we have any quality issues with all this moisture. The garbs are getting closer too but will probably green back up in the low spots and draws. In the mean time I’ll be in the berry patch—heck of a crop there too! Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .6-.7 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Peas, and Garbanzos were seeded tis growing year. Winter wheat is in the hard dough growth stage. Spring wheat is in the soft dough growth stage.

  

 

 

Hill County - Trevor Wolery

Winter wheat harvest was completed on Saturday. Extremely blessed for the bushels, good protein and test weight. Started on Mustard that same day but rained out on Sunday, with no field progress on Monday as I write this report. Barley will be ready as soon as mustard harvest is over and am concerned about barley quality due to heat. Next year Country. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .18 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Barley, and Mustard were seeded this growing year.

 

 

 

Judith Basin County – Greg Mathews

Finished helping Boyd cut his WW on Saturday and moved home. Yields were good for the year 60's to 20's, the 20's were where the hail went thru and did not take it all. Protein at the elevator is all over the place from 13's to the 8's, bad discounts for the low proteins. Crop here at home needs about a week. Supposed to be cool and maybe some rain this next week. Got a dust settler Sunday night. Hoppers are starting to show up in places so far. Fire danger is extremely high with the high temps and dryness, had a fire Sunday night in the south Benchland area, and do not know anything more. Best to all and be safe. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .02 inches of precipitation within the last week. Spring wheat, Barley, and Hay were seeded this growing year.

 

McCone/Dawson County - Trevor Schock

Pea harvest has been completed, with fields averaging 30-40 bu per acre. This was below expectations because of good spring moisture, but the high heat at the very end brought on a sooner harvest and burned up some yield potential. We are half done with our mustard but ran up against green mustard before a light rain and cooler weather now. Early spring wheat is also nearing harvest stage, probably in about a week with current conditions.  Hoping that our hot July temps didn't fry the heads of the wheat too much, or at least with wheat in different stages maybe some weathered it better. Moisture conditions have been fair. We have received .1 inches of precipitation within the last week. Spring wheat, Peas, and Mustard were seeded this growing year. Spring wheat is in the hard dough growth stage. It's been hot and dry the last couple of weeks, but a weather shift has happened and now some cooler and wetter weather is forecasted for this week. The later seeded wheat could still take advantage of some additional moisture. It may cause bleaching on ripe or nearly ripe crops, however. Grasshoppers are present but not impactful right now and glyphosate resistant kochia are present as well.

 

Northern Yellowstone/Eastern Stillwater County - Michelle Jones

What started out as a dramatic week with a large fire in the area ended with record breaking temperatures and then harvest hit a full-on rain delay - a storm last night dropped 1.5-2” of much needed water in the area. That’ll put a damper on winter wheat harvest for at least today (8/5). Thank god for air bins and a stripper header - should be able to roll again tomorrow. Overall winter wheat has been a pleasant surprise. I expected 35 bushel yields and 70 bushel straw. Instead, we have above average yields and generally really good quality. A few in the area are into barley and spring wheat - it unsurprisingly did not fare as well in the brutal hot weather we’ve had - but we’ll find out how our spring wheat did in a few days. We’re about 2 big days of harvest from being done with the winter wheat. Then on to spring. Moisture conditions have been fair. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Safflower, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is harvested. Spring wheat is in the ripe growth stage. 1.5-2 inches of precipitation will go a long way to help the overly dry area and temper fire risk. Looking forward to 60s the middle of this week.

  

 

Teton County - Mitch Konen

Crops are maturing slowly, so it is hurry-up and wait time. The winter wheat tillered well, and those sucker heads are full and green, so we will wait for a few more bushels. Barley is catching up fast in maturing and will be a race as to which will go first. The spring wheat is really green yet and will wait until last for sure. Finished gathering the hay-barley bales. Guess I will spend some more time going over the equipment to make sure it is ready. Kochia has sure narrowed up the roads around here. The canals of water are virtually empty now, so the irrigation is all but done. Still a little in the reservoir but probably not enough to cover much ground. Hope everyone has a safe and bountiful harvest. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .07 inches of precipitation within the last week. Winter wheat, Spring wheat, Barley, and Hay were seeded this growing year. Winter wheat is in the ripe growth stage. Spring wheat is in the hard dough growth stage. Barley is in the hard dough growth stage. It is harvest time so weather is always a concern. Nice that it has cooled off and the smoke cleared out. Wild oats, kochia, and pretty much every other weed are present at this time.

 

Toole County - Klayton Lohr

August 12th is the start date for harvest. Moisture conditions have been poor. We have received .4 inches of precipitation within the last week. Durum was seeded this growing year. The rain is bleaching out the durum that is ripe. Kochia is present.