The harvest season is still going on, and Dallas County Iowa State University Extension Field Agronomist Meaghan Anderson discusses how the crops have moved along pretty quickly.

Anderson tells Raccoon Valley Radio that this harvest season is similar to last year’s, being a relatively quick one, as corn is 90 to 95 percent planted, and all soybeans are in the fields. She says that she’s hearing concerns about the variability in corn yields, with farmers trying to determine why certain fields are in better shape than others. 

With the recent rain that has come through central Iowa, Anderson points out that it’s not the best for farmers, as many crops are dead and need to be removed in a timely manner, but does emphasize the advantage precipitation provides farmers.

“The best thing that it does is that it gives the farmers a little bit of a break. And so when they’ve been going, in some cases, for several weeks without really stopping, doing late nights combined with early mornings, it’s good to get a day to take a break here and there.”

Even though the temperatures are cooling off, Anderson notes that the weather is looking to be warmer than average over the next couple of weeks, as she predicts that most farmers will be wrapped up with harvest around the middle of November.