MGGA Weekly Crop Condition Survey
AUGUST 25, 2020
Chouteau County - Lochiel Edwards
Edwardsfarm wrapped up harvest this past week, as hot weather cooked the last of the green potholes. Spring wheat yields did not disappoint, and quality appears to be excellent. Protein may have suffered with the higher yields though. Grain lab has completed our HRW samples, and proteins are 12s and 13s, with the higher pro coming from lower-yielding fields. Test weights are around 63 pounds, and head moth damage, while present, will not be a problem. Overall, a very smooth harvest, free of breakdowns, both mechanical and emotional. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .04" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat and spring wheat. Problems showing up are sawfly and locusts; weeds are dead; diseases are dead. Will begin harvest July 18, 2021, 1pm.
Fergus County - Robert Bold
We are done with winter wheat harvest. I am not aware of any winter wheat left in the field in our area. We are done with barley. I think all the barley is harvested as well. Our winter wheat was 62.5 lb test weight and 11.8 to 13.5 protein. All our barley made malt. We are still a ways away from completing our spring wheat harvest. So far, 62 lb test weight and 13.8 to 14.5 protein. We have been saw fly free unlike most other wheat producing areas in the state. However, we discovered 2 fields that have saw fly damage on the edges. For us this was like a Junior in high school finding a gray hair. It was just devastating. After our rain shower last week, we have been noticing that 10 to 20% of our hoppers have Spinochorododes Tellinii. It is a parasitic nematomorph hair worm. The hair worm secretes a protein in the hopper's brain that make the hopper seek water. That give the hairworm the opportunity for reproduction. Should the host not find water, the hairworm grows to about 4 times the length of the hopper inside the hopper. Eventually the hopper explodes from the inside out. Mother Nature at work!! Moisture conditions are fair receiving .35" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and barley.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
The bench was a bee hive of activity this last week. One day I counted over a dozen combines within a 3 mile radius. The malt barley is coming off in fine shape. Sounds like real good quality and exceptional yield. We did get a little thunderstorm one night that dropped 3-5 tenths of rain and some hail. Sounds like it was a little worse just north of me. But the heat, sun and a little wind helped to dry things out quick and it was back to cutting. One quarter section of my ground looks to have about 30% damage. I did have one quadrant cut out already and it sure makes for an interesting yield map to see the difference pre and post storm yields. The short grass prairie is dry as are most road ditch grasses. The grasshoppers were thankful for the quick shower as it was dusty and dry. Winter wheat has been taken and barley is in the process of being taken with what I will say is about 60-70% completed. Spring wheat and canola are the laggards. Spring wheat is fairly green. Canola is just now starting to get knocked down into windrows. So will be about a week before it is picked up. My canola will be a few more weeks before it sees a swather. Should have my barley off in a couple more days and hopefully the spring will be ready before the climate change that is forecasted for Sunday. Hope all are having a safe and bountiful harvest as we are not getting much help from the markets. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .3" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, canola and hay. Problems in the field are grasshoppers and mosquitoes.
AUGUST 18, 2020
Chouteau County - Lochiel Edwards
Spring wheat harvest is rolling on Lonesome Prairie, but Edwardsfarm had to pull on the reins yesterday, due to green wheat. Not before the combine cut a tankful of wet stuff, though. We will try again Wednesday afternoon, as the hot weather bakes the life out of everything but the hoppers. The stay-green gene in our spring wheat is double-edged. It ensures maximum yield, while frustrating attempts to wrap up Harvest 2020. Drought and grasshoppers are still dimming our outlook for seeding any early winterwheat. Moisture conditions are poor receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat and spring wheat. Problems showing up are sawfly and locusts; drought and hoppers are taking care of the weeding duties.
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Done with the winter wheat. Hoppers yielded 6 bushel per acre. Spring wheat on the verge of being ready. Cutting barley now. Hoppers yielding just under 9 bushel per acre. Sunday we were fueling up the combines. It took over 400 gallons of diesel. I could not help but think back 100 years to German my grandpa here in Montana. On that day, women were on the verge of getting the right to vote; no penicillin; no novocaine; no speed limit; no drivers licenses; no electricity; no air conditioning; no private plant breeders; no 2,4D; no Roundup; and no paved or gravel roads. Threshing crews was the way to get your grain threshed after you ran the binders and shawking crews over the fields. He bought his first Ford in 1924 which still runs! He was very happy to get his first tractor so he could end self sufficiency and get some income off the fields used for horse feed. I'll keep the 400 gallons per day requirement. No trading back. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and barley. A problem showing up is hoppers.
Hill County - Eric Hanson
And that's a wrap. 2020 crop season is in the books and in the bins. We have 15 acres of patches left, but we are calling it done. Feels good. Lots of spring wheat standing in the country but it is slowly getting whittled away as it ripens. The harvest pace this year has been odd. Fairly quiet all season. None of the feverish buzz like usual. Probably a combination of less than average crops and the rate at which they matured. Mostly spring wheat being cut now, a few guys still working on lentils, and even a few starting on some flax. Anything that's not quite ripe should be by the end of this hot week. We hit 101 here yesterday. No rain for quite awhile now and the country looks bleak. The soil is powdery. To dry for even the weeds to grow. Looks like we will make it through the chemfallow season with just two passes. We only had one 40 acre field that took a third pass. I guess that's one benefit to a dry year. The grasshoppers aren't slowing down. They are cleaning up weeds and anything else that's green. We had a bad year of millers moths, the sawfly at epic proportions, had army wheat head worms in some of our wheat again this year, pea weevils were right at threshold numbers, hopper populations we haven't seen in at least 8-10 years, and I noticed yesterday that the flea beetles are moving into our lilac rows and eating leaves like crazy. Seems like we got the entire spectrum of pests this season. Feeling blessed we didn't have to endure what those farmers have had to go through from the derecho winds. I'll take bugs over that any day. I've only seen one air drill hooked up. Seems like a joke as the temps flirt with the 100 degree mark all week, moisture conditions are almost non existent, and the hoppers flourishing. I foresee a late winter wheat seeding season. Hoping everyone can have a safe and enjoyable finish to their harvest, and let's all hope we can see some grain price rallies continue. Moisture conditions are poor receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and peas.
Liberty County - Craig Henke
Can see the end of harvest, will finish today with dry land. Irrigated a week off yet. Yields have been great. Hoppers are controlling the weeds, will be late seeding winter wheat. Be ready for cooler weather and fall rains. Moisture conditions are fair. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, peas, lentils and mustard. A problem showing up is lots of hoppers.
Northern Yellowstone, Eastern Stillwater County - Michelle Jones
We’ve wrapped up an excellent winter wheat harvest and moved on to a fairly disappointing barley harvest. From the time we last scouted the barley and made the decision to not spray hoppers - largely because we were too close to the pre-harvest intervals - the hoppers did significant damage. Estimating we lost 10 BPA due to them cutting the heads off. The #grasshopperplague2020 continues as they’ve defoliated most of the safflower - and we’re keeping a close eye on the corn. Both crops are fairly mature for the date - and as long as they don’t start eating the ears on the corn we’ll be okay. The grasshoppers have even taken to defoliating trees in shelter belts. We got a surprise 0.4” of rain last night across the farm which will halt harvest operations for a bit. We have 150 acres of barley to finish up before we move to spring wheat. Moisture conditions are good receiving .4" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, safflower, corn and hay.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
The dryland winter wheat is cut. Irrigated winter wheat is being patched out yet here on the bench. Just started in on what looks to be an outstanding barley harvest. Conditions are hot and the crop is of excellent quality. We will be sitting on this year's crop for awhile with the extra bushels. So with the heat enjoy lots of beer, there should be ample supply. Moisture conditions are fair receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, canola and hay. Grasshoppers are a problem.
AUGUST 11, 2020
Chouteau County - Lochiel Edwards
Nearly all are harvesting on Lonesome Prairie this week, with lentils, winterwheat, and canola on the menu. Spring wheat is nearly ready, but I doubt much of that has seen a sickle yet. Edwardsfarm has winterwheat wrapped up, except for a couple stubborn patches in the coulee bottoms. HRW yields are widely variable in the area, reflecting earlier shower patterns. Our spring wheat looks to be a week away from ready. The benefit of a drought year is in less weed activity. Third time over on chemfallow will not be necessary for the present, and the freshly cut stubble is mostly weed-free. Grasshoppers seem to be ever-increasing, and early September winterwheat seeding is likely off the table. I believe some who have been geared up to plant winter canola with the first August rain have scrapped those plans due to hopper pressure. Be careful out there. Moisture conditions are poor receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat and spring wheat. Problems showing up are sawfly and locusts; weeds are dead; and drought.
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Half done with the winter wheat. Barley not ready yet. Some of the early seeded spring wheat will be ready in a few days. The later seeded spring wheat still has a ton of green in it. Looks like we know what we will be doing Labor Day weekend. There is some second cutting hay being put up. Overall, this area had a average hay crop--down from the record yields the last 2 years. Good soil moisture to date for winter wheat seeding. Hopper populations maybe the determining factor this fall. Fergus County made the news with its 1,100+ acre lightning fire late last week. It was just west of us 10 miles, but the air smelled just like camping. In the rough country it was hard to control. When the fire got up on top, discs, water trucks and farmers got it out. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .35" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, and barley. Lots of hoppers. So far the hopper harvest has been above average. Getting about 6 bu/ac on the winter wheat. Expect that number to go up to 8 or so on the spring crops. Chem Fallow starting to look rough. May have to wait a bit.
Hill County - Eric Hanson
Only 4 or 5 days left in harvest and we have run into green. We'll move 20 miles to try some other spring wheat that looks to be ripe. It's been a steady push with only a few delays from weather, green wheat or minor mechanical breakdowns this entire harvest. Just as we suspected, our winter wheat crop was fairly disappointing. Mother Nature never cooperated at the right times. Our spring wheat, on the other hand, has been a nice crop everywhere we have cut so far. I would venture to say above average. The country has felt a lot more quiet this year for harvest. Most of the winter wheat has been taken, but most of the spring wheat around here is still standing green from the road. The hoppers continue to work at anything green, which is slowly dwindling, so they are thick in those spots or areas. Even the roadside kochia are starting to thin down every day from them. I guess a pest is even a pest to a pest at times. I certainly don't mind. A friend said their lentils were so thick with them they were 16 moisture, but if you picked out the hoppers it was 9. I don't think he was joking. This year continues to be one for the books, and I feel somewhat reassured that it's just weird science after a recent read. Or at least that's what I'm going to go with as well. The days are showing their shorter length and the nights have cooled off. I know none of us want to accept the fact that our summer is starting to fade. Maybe I shouldn't speak for everyone, as the other day my friend was already talking with childhood giddiness about the possible great ski season coming soon. Moisture conditions are poor receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat and peas. A problem showing up is hoppers.
Northern Yellowstone, Eastern Stillwater County - Michelle Jones
The combines are still rolling along - winter wheat harvest is almost wrapped up for a few. A few have started barley, we’re hoping to start ours tomorrow. Spring wheat appears to need a few days still. Winter wheat yields are excellent with excellent quality. MSU’s four0six has by far been the best overall variety we’ve harvested. Overall test weight has been between 61-64. Protein 11.8-13. Early reviews I’ve heard on barley in the area also indicate excellent quality. Still are suffering under the effects of the grasshopper invasion of 2020. They have been hard on the rangeland. If anyone thought about doing late haying it has been entirely lost to the hoppers. Late crops have been sprayed at least once. Our corn needs well into September before it can freeze - but we’re looking forward to the death of the hoppers...No rain since early last week - when a scattered 0.05-0.2 fell. Fire conditions get elevated by the day. Moisture conditions are fair. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, safflower, corn and hay. A problem showing up is grasshoppers.
Teton County - Mitch Konen
Crops are maturing fast with the heat. The cousin next door started cutting irrigated peas today. I am going to start on some dryland winter wheat. A lot of dryland winter wheat in the area has been coming off in the last week. Irrigated winter wheat is starting to get patched off with a few green areas remaining. Just finishing up the irrigation season on the 2020 crops by irrigating the pastures and the canola as it is almost done flowering. The neighbors green chop feed barley has been laid in the bunker. Some guys are laying second cutting hay down. Most of the malt barley has a bit of green left in it and is a week to ten days away. Spring wheat is the laggard and will be several weeks yet to maturity. The prairie grass is dry as a bone and the grasshoppers are invading what is green in the road ditches. Kind of dangerous riding the bike down the roads as the grasshoppers will almost knock you off the bike. Neighbor asked why I was still carrying the 22 in the pickup, told him for taking down grasshoppers instead of gophers. Good luck to all with harvest and have a safe and bountiful harvest 2020. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .01" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, canola and hay. Problems showing up are mosquitoes and grasshoppers; kochia, wild oats, lamsquarter and pigweed. Will begin harvest TODAY.
AUGUST 4, 2020
Blaine County - Max Cederberg
Pulse crops are about ready with some peas being cut this week, maybe winter wheat next week. Spring wheat is starting to turn and is 2-3 weeks off. Some lentils are about ready to desicate. Crops look good despite the heat. Not too many grasshoppers yet. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .1" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, durum and peas. Problems showing up are grasshoppers; a few weeds in peas, mostly kochia; diseases are not bad. Will begin harvest the end of this week.
Chouteau County - Lochiel Edwards
Rain delay on August 3 gives Edwardsfarm a chance to catch up on maintenance. Numerous showers in the Triangle have likely shut down a good number of harvesting crews today. Harvest is progressing well, with a good half of our acres in the bin. There are some on Lonesome Prairie who have not started yet, due to reluctant ripening. Our yields have tapered off as we work our way north and west, but quality appears to be good, and there's more grain than the rain gauge would have hinted at. Credit the great job our College of Ag and Experiment Station people have done through the years. Our spring wheat didn't get that last rain it asked for, but still looks to be very good. Some in my area have been dessicating lentils, so that crop will begin to bin soon. Moisture conditions are poor receiving .06" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat and spring wheat. Problems showing up are sawfly and locusts; weeds are toast; and drought. Began harvest July 25, 1:35pm.
Fergus County - Robert Bold
Winter wheat harvest is just getting started. As you know, this area is probably the last of the Lower 48 to harvest winter wheat.
If I may, I would like to remember a past MGGA Board Member--Dan Works' Dad, Marvin, who was just laid to rest. A number of years back I had the privilege to serve on a board along with Marvin and some other Northern Chouteau County wheat farmers including Lochie's Dad, who all had a vision to bring Marias River water to the Prairie. After years of persistence, they prevailed and the Marias River began supplying essential high quality water to the Prairie. It gave dozens upon dozens homesteads water they never had before. It enhanced each with a much higher standard of life and encouraged, in some cases, people to stay, add to the community and grow Montana's grain industry. What Marvin and others may or may not have realized at the time, was that they paved part of the way for Montana's wheat and grain industry to have the opportunity for the innovation, development and adoption of new agricultural technology. That technology, in part, has lead to higher yields and environmental enhancement in North Central Montana. There are times, when surprisingly what seems to be a small dream or vision, becomes a major building block. Thanks to those past visions and seeming small efforts we harvest what we do harvest today. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .35" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, and barley. Lots of hoppers. The sprayed fields appear to be good. The unsprayed fields, there is visible damage to spring crops. Will harvest as soon as yesterday's shower dries.
Garfield County - Scott Glasscock
Harvest started a little earlier than I thought it would by a few days, but that is ok. We are done with our peas, and they yielded above average. We are almost done with our winter wheat, so far the yield has been average. We have some later planted winter wheat that's still a little green. We cut some of it and it's yielding really well, actually might be better than our early planted wheat. We started on our lentils and they are doing really good, except some edges that the grasshoppers decided to invade. They are taking a toll on the grass too. Good luck to everyone with harvest, and stay safe. Moisture conditions are good receiving .2" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, peas, lentils, corn and hay. Problems showing up are grasshoppers and prickly lettuce.
Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews
Will try combining around the 6th, some around Moore have started and Moccasin area. Good yields and protein. Barley is about 2 weeks away from harvesting. Will finish spraying SF for the 3rd time on Monday. Weeds that are coming are fanweed, prickley lettuce, little buckwheat and kochia, some cheat and a little volunter grain. A lot of the WW fields have some oats showing up where the crop was thin from the winter and some weeds. By the end of the week most will be going full tilt harvesting. Have a great harvest and be safe. Moisture conditions are good receiving 0" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, barley and hay. No insects to report. Will begin harvest the 6th.
Liberty County - Craig Henke
Harvest is in full swing. The winter wheat does not want to ripen, everyone having problems with high moisture. We will finish with peas on Wednesday, and then start lentils. Winter wheat we have hauled to town has good weight and protein. Big hail storm moved south of Chester on Friday evening, and did lots of damage. Have a safe harvest. Moisture conditions are fair receiving .25" of precipitation in the past week. Crops being grown are winter wheat, spring wheat, peas, lentils and mustard.