Awesome. Excellent. Wonderful.
With dry-land soybeans yielding nearly 80 bushels per acre and corn averaging from 150-210 bushels per acre, 2009 is a fall harvest destined to go down in the annals of farming history.
While each and every Kansas county may vary depending on planting dates, stands, moisture conditions, heat units this summer and harvesting conditions, for the most part, row crop farmers are smiling all the way to the elevator.
Brown County farmer Keith Olsen says this year’s fall harvest is a “dream come true.
“It’s been an outstanding growing season for corn and beans,” Olsen says. “A nice cool summer, with plenty of moisture, has resulted in these wonderful yields.”
In his home county, Olsen reports his soybeans are averaging nearly 70 bushels per acre and corn is shelling out approximately 190-plus bushels per acre.
During his 23 years as a row-crop producer, Olsen has never experienced a harvest like this on his northeastern Kansas farm.
“If I have another 10 years like this I can retire with a smile on my face,” he says.
Olsen’s father, Claire, turns 80 in December and thinks this fall harvest is special indeed. He’d like to see commodity prices continue strong.
The elder Olsen still comes out to the farm every day and helps his son on the farm. He drives the truck during harvest.
While October has been a rainy, overcast month, the Brown County producer says he’s “about on schedule” to finish fall harvest. As of Oct. 28 Olsen needed a good week of sunny days to wrap up harvest.
Kansas farmers, including Olsen, rarely complain about moisture of any kind. They’re glad to get it and deal with it.
In some ways the lengthy wet weather in October has allowed the elevators to catch up with the inflow of grain by shipping it out and freeing up storage. Throughout this ’09 harvest, Olsen hasn’t had to wait in line to dump his crops.
“As of now storage isn’t a problem,” the Brown County farmer says. “But, if it ever turns sunny and we string several consecutive warm days together, it may become an issue.”
If that happens, elevators may erect bunkers or resort to storing some crops like milo on the ground. If this occurs, producers like Olsen may be forced to settle for cash only when they haul their crops to the elevators.
“We’ll have to sell our crops when we go across the scales,” Olsen says.
While he says that may be disappointing in a way, when you look at this year’s yields and crop prices, “I really can’t complain too loudly.”
And while the forecast for early November calls for wet and cool temperatures, Olsen considers this typical fall weather.
“It’s been a beautiful fall and I’m just pleased to be harvesting these great yields,” he says. “Every year we hear and read about Missouri, Illinois and Iowa cutting these fantastic yields. It’s nice for us to harvest abundant crops this fall.”
Olsen says every day he thanks the “good Lord for giving us a crop like this,” and he hopes everyone is having a safe and enjoyable harvest.
John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.
TOPEKA —
