Up and down

ISU Extension & Outreach field agronomist Joel DeJong says farmers are in for a wild ride when they harvest their crops this fall.

With a growing season marked by hot temperatures and sparse precipitation, he expected yields for corn and soybeans will be all over the board. Some farmers will set personal bests while others will come in well under average.

"The range is very wide this year," DeJong said. "Precipitation varied widely around the [area], with some neighborhoods very short during the growing season and other areas receiving adequate moisture."

DeJong, whose nine-county territory covers O'Brien County, noted that planting season in northwest Iowa started with less-than-normal soil moisture. Almost all fields experienced moisture stress during June while others dealt with dryness in July and early August.

"Some of the county received very helpful rain starting in early July, while some missed that. Other rain events followed, and it seemed that areas receiving good rain in early July also received additional rains later," he said. "Obviously, that will reduce yields in areas that missed several of those events."

Hail in certain areas of the county and strong weed competition also gave farmers headaches this year; however, DeJong said insect pests were less than normal. Leaf diseases were limited, but some other issues, like white mold, did cause significant damage in some fields.

A few bean fields have been harvested already, though not many. DeJong reminded northwest Iowa farmers and residents to be cautious as activity ramps up during the busy fall season.

"A lot of slower moving traffic will be on the roads. Don't be in a hurry," he said. "That's when accidents occur. Be aware of the likelihood of encountering slow moving equipment – that sometimes turns into fields, not roads – often surprising people."