MGGA Weekly Crop Condition Survey
JULY 27, 2021
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Winter wheat harvest is in full swing here. Yields are all over the board from 8 to 45 bu/ac. Very little 60 lb wheat with weights 52 to 56 with probably a 55 lb average. Pea harvest is about done. All the other pulse crops are super short with yields disappointing. No spring crop cut yet other than for hay. There is no line at the elevators. You are the only truck there. However, straw is the biggest demand. Here at our place, our harvest is all wrapped up--literally. 1,600 pound portable storage units. The heads were not filling at all and the hopper migration really put a cap on any good production. With the harvest restriction for spraying, we could see the ugly end. In 2 weeks we went from start to finish. Demand for hay out of this world. Could have sold 3 or 4 times what we produced. Oh well, those of us in agriculture are eternal optimists. Otherwise we would not be in this business. To quote Winston Churchill, "an optimist sees an opportunity in every difficulty where as a pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity". Greg, in response, with current situation/s, if you don't want any of my hoppers or other's hoppers, it is up to you to keep them out. However you choose to do so. The other item, the wind. I am of the opinion that one could get an international movement under way to control and direct the wind. You could call it, well I don't know, but possibly something like the Mathews Wind Accord should you get the international movement under way. Another hopper option is to sit back, let Mother Nature do her thing like she has for the last zillion years. One other item, Spencer and I were cleaning out our pickups and now have in one spot a pile of wood nickels. A meeting at the Office is a good way to get them back into circulation while cussing and discussing Mother Nature. Hope everyone has a good harvest and rest of this summer/fall. May the Force be with you. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops are spring wheat and barley.
Flathead County - Tryg Koch
Things are getting very dry, moving into stage 2 fire restrictions this week. First cutting hay is pretty well wrapped up with second cutting getting under way. Winter wheat needs about a week and will be ready for harvest. Overall things look good over here compared to the rest of the state. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops are winter wheat, spring wheat, canola and hay. Expect to begin harvest August 1.
Hill County - Eric Hanson
In the midst of the dog days of summer, everything I read says I should be on my beach vacation right now. I can assure you I am not. But, we do have the winter wheat harvest in the books. Blessed to have a little in the bins. We put combines in the spring wheat but it needs 3-5 days of heat yet. And heat it will get. So maybe I do have time for a beach vacation. Sun of a beach, I’m ready! I won’t have to book a flight anywhere. They’ve taken Fresno reservoir down 15 feet, maybe more. Lots of beach. Really adds to the “drought” look we’ve got going around here. They’re running the river full out of it to somewhere. I sure hope it’s being used. Had a downpour last week for 2, maybe 3 minutes. It smelled like rain when I got home 15 minutes later, but the slight evidence had already vanished. Is it the end of August? Could’ve fooled me. The hoppers are in full on destruction mode. If they can find anything left that’s green, they’re there. Like my garden corn. More and more fields are trimmed up everyday. Progress this harvest has been steady, if not quick. The days seem fast, and noticeably shorter by a few minutes everyday. Some evenings it's hard to decipher who’s winning, the smoke or the dust. Either way it paints an absolutely gorgeous sunset; while the rest of my beach vacation is left up to my imagination. A continued safe harvest to you all! Moisture conditions are poor receiving nothing measurable, but you could smell it. Crops are winter wheat, spring wheat and peas. Hoppers are problems and still lots of weeds.
Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews
Another hot week with cool nights. Somewhat unusual, but will not complain about the cool nights. Received .33 this last week on two occasions WW harvest will be in full swing this week if it was not baled or chopped. Spring barley burning fast and turning with the hoppers coming in from everywhere. Attended the Malteurop barley days and enjoyed seeing the great crops under irrigation at Fairfield and the dry land crop at Steve Sheffels farm north of Great Falls. Wonder how the light barley will make it or not. Have a safe harvest. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .33" of precipitation in the past week. Crops are winter wheat, barley and hay. Expect to begin harvest July 25 for sure.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
The Greenfields bench has many hues of color ranging from succulent green to near gold color of ripe crops. Second cutting hay is being irrigated. The last of my pivots will be going off sometime tonight as they find their home or park positions. A lot of hay barley has been knocked down or is in the process of being windrowed. Soon it will be rolled or baled up for feed. The surrounding dryland winter wheat is just beginning to be windrowed due to sawflies or harvested depending on its ripeness. Have seen one irrigated winter wheat field being sampled today. Malt barley is still a good 10 days to 2 weeks away. My yellow peas are coming on and will soon be ready. Sprayed the chem fallow again and added something extra for the grasshoppers, maybe that will bring down the population a little. They are beginning to work the outside edges of the barley fields here on the bench. Sure are good at plucking them kernels right out of the head. Guess I better get the combine out and get some equipment ready to go. Everyone have a safe one. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops are barley, peas and hay. Grasshoppers and mosquitoes are problems. Weeds, you name it, it's there. Expect to begin harvest soon.
JULY 20, 2021
Broadwater County - Franck Groeneweg
Ahead of schedule and very dry. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, peas, garbanzos, canola, flax and sunflower. Some grasshoppers are a problem, no weeds. Expect to begin harvest July 26th.
Chouteau County - Dan Works
Winter wheat harvest is well under way! We started July 9, one of our earliest starts ever. Amazingly, it was average crop, until the equalizer came by July 11. The hailstorm in this area was unrelenting. Many of my neighbors were completely wiped out. We lost about 500 acres that are 100% hailed. However every acre on the farm was damaged to some degree. Spring crops seem to hang on but won't be much. Drought and heat have taken their toll on people and plants. If anyone is looking to restock their grasshopper herd we have many to choose from! Moisture conditions are poor. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, durum, barley, garbanzos and mustard. Grasshoppers are a problem. Began harvest pretty sure on July 9. LOL
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Winter wheat harvest is just getting started. One report of 60 pound wheat. Lots of reports of 52 to 56 pound wheat probably averaging 55 pound. On our operation, we are just finishing barley harvest. By Tuesday night all the barley will be in 1600 pound portable storage units. We are just about done with cutting spring wheat. The hoppers have all the leaves off and working on cutting stocks. With the migration 10 days ago, there is absolutely no hope for anything to combine. The worst hoppers since 1988. When, after everything was bare and no green, they flew out. Also in 1988 when everyone thought it would never rain again, it started to rain Labor Day weekend. From Labor Day 1988 to September 30, 1989, we got right at 28 inches of precipitation in 13 months. No winter wheat was seeded in September. A break in the weather, we got winter wheat seeded in October. In February 1989 there was a major chinook with water running everywhere. That night a clipper came in. The next morning the temperature dropped 101 degrees F from high to low in 24 hours. No power the next morning. Blistered the paint on the fuel tanks at the fuel level and killed 95% of the winter wheat. Spring and early summer 1989 was spectacular. A lot of people where haying pastures, it was that good. (Just trying to get some history in like Lochie does.) I restate my earlier statement: "never before in recorded history has it never again rained ". Being this hot and dry, when Mother Nature turns on the tap, she may have a tough time turning it off. Just don't know when or how much. Counting blessing, we have our health, optimism, crop insurance and crop marketing options. Glad there is a next year. Have a good harvest!! Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are spring wheat and barley. Lots and lots of hoppers. Worst since 1988. Kochia and hot season weeds coming on fast.
Fergus County - Boyd Heilig
Looks like the fallow will make 35 and the recrop about 20. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .3" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat and spring wheat. Hoppers are a problem, weeds are not too bad this year. Got started harvesting over the weekend.
Flathead County - Tryg Koch
Winter wheat will be ready for harvest in about 10 days. The first cutting of hay is about 85% complete with many producers starting on there second. Grass hay yields are down but the alfalfa is still good. Hay sales are unreal this year, most guys are already sold out. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, canola and hay. Expect to begin harvest in 2 weeks.
Garfield County - Scott Glasscock
We started combining peas last week. Getting a good yield on grasshoppers, rocks and dirt and a few peas are trickling in. I’m amazed we even have something to combine. The heat and drought and hoppers have been tough on the peas. We are getting something at least. The winter wheat should be ready next week. It actually looks ok as does the spring wheat. The lentils probably won’t make much and our corn will probably get baled or grazed. It is starting to tassel and is chest high. I don’t see how in the world it’s even surviving. The rangeland is shot. Luckily our cows have a good imagination. Hope to get harvest done quickly so we can turn them out on the fields. This will definitely be a year that will be talked about for generations. I thought 17 was bad and 88, but this one takes the cake. We just have to keep a good attitude and keep working hard and know that it will pass. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, peas, lentils, corn and hay. Grasshoppers are a problem, they're eating the weeds and the crops have no diseases. Harvest has begun.
Hill County - Todd Hansen
It’s been awhile. But I think Eric (little Lochiel) does a better job, but when Alison requests something she gets it. 1/2 done with hrw as of 7/20. Crop is not very good, June 14, 15 all but killed this crop. We have a stand for 50-60 bpa we are cutting roughly 1/2 that with test weights from 54-57. All that being said we did everything we could for this crop. It just wasn’t meant to be. All be safe and I’ll see ya at convention this winter. And boy am I ready for snow. Later. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no rain in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, lentils and mustard. Hoppers are a problem and Trevor's weeds. Began harvest July 17th.
Hill County - Eric Hanson
Hot and dry. Really hot. I’m sure you’ve all been on top of a bin when it’s 100+ and know what I’m talking about. And really dry. With a touch of smoke. Actually, lots of smoke. Same old, same old around here. Almost perfect harvest weather though. No rain delays. We finished peas last week and moved into the winter wheat. Light test weight, as we figured it would be, but good protein. And yield obviously isn’t where we would normally be. But very thankful we have something to haul in after the way this year has gone. Combines are starting to show up in fields but still fairly quiet in the country. This week will be a lot busier I think. Not much else to report, just grinding away. Weeds are still growing and hoppers are still hopping. Only 4 weeks until kids are back in school; the summer is slipping away. They go by faster every year! Moisture conditions are poor receiving no rain in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and peas. Hoppers, flies and no-see-ums are problems and lots of weeds.
Hill County - Trevor Wolery
Turned the swather lose in HRW on the 11th and began harvesting the windrows on the 17th. Yields reflect early harvest averaging in the low thirties. Test weight ranging from 52# -56# and protein ranging from 13-16. This HRW crop had huge potential but lack of precipitation and excessive heat in June took the cream off the top. Lentils are beginning to ripen and wow do they look short. DNS also ripening in a “chalky” color. Yesterday’s smoke ceiling kept the temperature to a high of 74 degrees and received .07 during the night. Everyone stay safe! Moisture conditions are poor receiving .12" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, lentils and mustard. Grasshoppers, Kochia and thistle are problems. Still suffering from dry heatitis. Began harvest yesterday.
Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews
Another hot week and the 2021 crop is getting smaller. More fields were cut for forage again this last week (barley and spring wheat fields). Some started cutting in the Denton area and reports were not good, 80 bushel straw and 30-35 bushel wheat on summer fallow as well as sawfly damages. Hard to clean up and test weight low. Reports in the Hardin area of low test weights, 48 to 50 pounds as well. Combines in the Moccasin area will start this week and in the Moore area. Grasshoppers showing up in more areas. Bob Bold needs to stop the east wind from blowing my way or put up a hopper wall to stop them from coming west. Sprayed sf again and should last till next month. Prepare for another hot week and hope the weather man is wrong. Have a safe harvest. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .47" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, barley and hay. Hoppers a problem. Expect to begin harvest end of July.
McCone/Dawson County - Kurt Voss
Peas are harvested, 25% of historical Aph. Barley production in the same range. Wheat is turning fast with no significant moisture in the past month (limited moisture before that), along with scorching heat. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are spring wheat, barley, peas, lentils, corn, oats and hay. Grasshoppers a problem, no weeds or diseases. Pulses harvested, barley hayed.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
Crops are maturing rapidly. Irrigation is winding down. Just finished up my own flooding this morning. Still have a few pivots running, but should be all done by end of the week. Man, the mosquitoes are aggressive and the grasshoppers are not very good aerial acrobats. Driving down ditch banks on a motorcycle tests one's fortitude when getting pummeled by the hoppers. Crops on the Greenfields bench are filling if spring crops and the fall crops are turning. Canola is filling with very few looms to be seen any more. My yellow peas are turning as well and have ceased blooming. Lodging is getting to be an issue with some crops giving in to the heavy heads. I think we are 10 days to 2 weeks away from anyone cutting here on the bench. Most of the hay is up and irrigation is wrapping up on it as well. Demand has tapered off and the canal flow has been reduced and beginning to recharge Pishkun reservoir. Water supply end date is beginning to move further away on the calendar as opposed to getting closer. Big storm came out of the Scapegoat last night and commonly split and went around us. Choteau had 2+" rain in a very short order last night. We had a trace. Everyone have a safe harvest. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .02" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are barley, peas and hay. Grasshoppers and mosquitoes are problems. Weeds, you name it, it's there. Expect to begin harvest soon.
JULY 13, 2021
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Another dry east wind day. Last week much like today, we had an east wind which brought us migration or immigration. Last week our hopper population increased 3X. When they land or just plain fall out of the sky, they come with Green Seeker technology as standard equipment and to work chowing down. We are about half done with our barley harvest. The dry weather and soil conditions as a back drop, we had to make the decision of either hopper food or cow food. Much like 1988 when we got August temperatures in May, we got August temperatures in June. The wild life visitors that Annette gets in the yard is really telling of the conditions. Everyone, it seems, comes to the yard for water and cooler place. The sage grouse that shows up with her hatch just to sit in the grass during the day for the moisture and cool grass is quite a beautiful sight of nature. Then there are the coons and skunks that come for water initially, then got to the cat food. Two years ago Annette got 14 of them with 13 shots. Half of them out of the bed room window. How do you get 14 with 13? Taking the entire family out to dinner at the cat food dish. Two nights ago I was coming into the house after dark and surprised a porcupine who came up on the steps for water. But a quick cat food snack was welcomed as well. Thank you very much. At this point, there are more acres in a bale than there will be in the grain bin. The crop insurance companies are training new adjusters in this area to handle the up coming claim load. Heard Chouteau County got quite a wicked hail storm. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are spring wheat and barley. Already half done with barley harvest.
Hill County - Eric Hanson
It was a week ago already, but we did finally get some rain. First rain all summer. I tried to stay up to see it happen but this old guy couldn’t make it to 2:30am, even for rain. It was variable with areas receiving between .2-.6. Need more. Send more. Please. The hoppers are starting to do some real damage, and we finally sprayed some spring wheat to try and slow them down. Stripped all the leaves and started working on the heads. We’ve got some areas of naked wheat out there. They aren’t widespread, but there are pockets here and there that are bad. Most everything in the country is brown so they are finding the little bit of green that’s left. They are steadily migrating into the yards around the country and you can see the results even from a pickup at 40mph in the tree rows. The rain got the weeds going so we are spraying chemfallow, trying to get over it before harvest gets going hot and heavy. We put a combine in the earliest peas yesterday and cut most of the day. The rest of the peas and winter wheat will be ready by the weekend, so it will be full steam ahead. Most of our area will be in harvest mode by then with the 100 degree days they are forecasting. Had a wild storm go to the south of us on Sunday. All we got was high winds, but there are producers that got hail and heavy rain; crops destroyed, roofs blown off, poles down, trees down and even a semi blown over. And I’m sure more. We had that happen to us in 2015 and it’s etched in my memory forever. Not a fun deal and we feel your pain. Just one more challenge. How many more do we need this year? Many more to come before the snow starts blowing in. Stay safe and good luck to everyone in the 2021 harvest. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .2-.6" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and peas. Hoppers a problem and lots of weeds.
Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews
Another week with little to no moisture. Only bright thing was the cooler days. A front went through on Tuesday with moisture all over the place and severe hail south of Lewistown. Rain from a dusting to 2 inches north of Moore. Barley is showing the heat and turning blueish white. A lot of ww is being swathed and baled or silaged. Elevator will probably not need to store grain on the ground rings. WW is turning fast but still a ways away. Haying is done and hoppers are starting to show up. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .09" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, barley and hay.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
The Greenfields bench is an oasis in what seems to be turning into a desert in the surrounding areas. Irrigation has been the key and it remains in full swing mode with most irrigating crops for the second time by flood method, and the pivots continue to sprinkle the remainder. Demand has been nonstop on the system and sounds like the water will diminish sometime in early August. Crops are getting heavy in the head and some lodging is beginning to take place. There is certainly a hodgepodge of crops on the bench this year and fun to drive around and look at the progress. Grasshoppers are beginning to invade the fields around the outer edges as the grass is beginning to dry down and stripping the kernels right out of the head. My dryland hay is all but dormant now that it has been harvested and not enough soil moisture for any regrowth. If there is a green sprig, the grasshoppers take it. The caragana trees as windbreaks and shelter belts have been stripped of their leaves, and the volunteer alfalfa in my winter wheat stubble is nothing but stalks. Now if we can get them to eat the kochia and lambsquarter we might be golden. Winter wheat is beginning to turn as is some early feed barley. Most of the rest of the barley is finishing heading out and beginning to fill. Harvest is close at hand. Hope all have a safe one. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are barley, peas and hay. Grasshoppers and mosquitoes are problems. Weeds, you name it, it's there. Expect to begin harvest Aug 5.
JULY 6, 2021
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Another week of August weather in June and early July. The heat damage to our grain and hay crop is now at the point of non reversible. Both dry land and irrigated hay crops were only a percent of average due to the weather. Hay prices are through the roof. There is really no hay tonnage for sale between here and the Minnesota state line. $200/ton and is sold instantly. I would say in the last week, about 75% of the winter wheat in the Lewistown area is now in a bale. We are doing the very same with ours. Probably start haying Friday. Besides, the hoppers are bad. We have sprayed edges twice now. The hoppers are now big enough to be mobile and able to get into the center of fields. Last Thursday, Glasgow NOAA weather picked up a "rain" cloud on radar moving just past the north edge of Malta headed NW into Alberta. Hoppers at 10,000 feet. As it stands now, Warren Buffet will not need to send very many grain cars into this area for the 21 crop. Just my observation. Another observation--never before in recorded history has it never again rained. Just can't tell you when or how much. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .2" of precipitation last night. Crops being grown are spring wheat and barley.
Flathead County - Tryg Koch
Crops are still looking good. The higher drier ridges are starting to show signs of heat stress. Canola is still blooming. Haying is in full swing and for the most part the alfalfa is awsome but the grass fields are light. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .2" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, canola and hay. Midge and cabbage seedpod weevils showing up, no diseases. Expect to begin harvest in 1 month.
Hill County - Eric Hanson
Still doing the drought shuffle up here. Zero steps forward and 3 steps back. Actually 45 steps backwards; still no rain in that many days. It’s Monday, and they are calling for some showers on Tuesday but I’m not holding my breath. Looking for input on forming a Hi-line community rain dance association. We got through that triple digit heat and wind but it left evidence it was here. The winter wheat is mostly golden and a week to 10 days from a start. Saw the neighbor swathed some already. Heard another was going to start some today. Spring wheat is frying green and burning up except in the low areas. The damage is done; it’s headed for some sort of disaster. It was good weather for the lake though; took the kids out 3 evenings in a row on the pontoon and had a good time cooling off. Weeds are still coming somehow. Even they are stressed. Kochia is starting to rear its ugly head in places around the country. Had a number of calls at the fire hall last week. I expect a steady and consistent increase as time goes on. The way things are headed it might be a full time gig once we get machines rolling in the country. Stay safe out there. Hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July. Next report will be coming from a combine. Moisture conditions are poor receiving nothing for precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and peas. Expect to begin harvest July 11th.
Hill County - Trevor Wolery
I get to report a .4 precipitation during the night! Much needed moisture since only receiving .06 total for the month of June as compared to 1.27 in June of 2020. All spring crops in our area show heat and drought stress. HRW is 7-10 days away from swathing. DNS has been pushed and hopper pressure just now showing up in several fields. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .4" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, lentils and mustard. Hoppers, sawfly, Kochia, thistle and Dry Heatitis are problems. Will begin harvest sooner than expected.
Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews
June has to be one of the driest on record. Here only recieved 1.13. Hay was 25 to 40% of last year's crop. Adjuster said claims are up through the roof and is having a never ending new claim coming in daily. Crops are next to hit the adjusters as a lot are haying their ww. Only about 1 and a half foot tall. Barley holding on and do not have a clue how. Harvest will be here by the end of the month it
looks like. Hoping to get enough to fill contracts. Grasshoppers are showing up in small areas so far but know that the east wind will bring the hordes in. May all have a great Fourth. Moisture conditions are poor receiving zero precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, barley and hay. Some hoppers in small areas showing up.
McCone/Dawson County - Kurt Voss
All crops are very drought stressed. Harvest will be early and well below normal yields. Moisture conditions are poor receiving no precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are spring wheat, barley, peas, lentils, corn, oats and hay. Grasshoppers a problem. Expect to begin harvest mid July for peas.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
Crops still progressing well here on the Greenfields bench. Irrigation is still in full swing with pivots and flood waters remaining on ration, but actually being circulated from grower to grower in an orderly fashion keeping all happy. The flow in the main canal has diminished some as we are straight through our secondary storage reservoir with flow coming directly from our primary storage reservoir of Gibson.
Crops are beginning to fill as most are headed out. UAN has been applied through sprinklers on winter wheat and most are filling ditches. Barley and hay ground is set to begin another round of water. There is a lot of hay on the ground at this time around the area, with the dryland getting rolled up quickly. Just finished my own dryland hay. Yields are off just a little compared to last year after receiving near 4" in May, but only .82" for June. The high temps have really taken a toll on overall growth and yield, and have added to the dangers of fires in the fields. Dryland in the area is really showing the effects of the heat as the winter wheat is starting to turn and the spring crops are coming but looking to be more in survival mode. Grasshoppers are becoming more and more abundant and will be taking a toll here soon as well. I always hate to report such good crop news from an irrigated farm amongst the perils of dryland farmers. But having a dryland farm as well keeps me in check. Mother nature has the ultimate say, and she has definitely been testing our fortitude. Our organization has worked hard to protect our way of life with work on crop insurance programs and farm bills and the like. Hopefully our efforts have insured our existence into another cropping season. Please bring forward yours and your neighbor's thoughts about how these programs are working or not working and what can be done to improve them. Membership in MGGA is a big step forward in having your voice heard, as we are here for all. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are barley, peas and hay. Grasshoppers and mosquitoes are problems. Expect to begin harvest Aug 5.