By Jolene Farley
With an estimated 25 percent of Rock County farmers combining soybeans, this year's yields are so far better than some expected.
Hail in the southern part of the county and corn "toppled" by strong winds in the central to northern part of the county were the two roadblocks Rock County producers faced this growing season, according to Rock County Extension Educator Fraser Norton.
The forced replanting of hailed beans coupled with a dry August caused many farmers to expect greatly reduced bean yields, Norton said.
"Some producers are surprised with their yields," said Norton. "Everybody got depressed because August was so dry, but yields are better than expected."
Norton has seen yields ranging from 35 to 60 bushels per acre so far this year. Beans are dryer than expected, with 9 to 11 percent moisture content.
Beaver Creek farmer Joel Hartz began combining beans Saturday and had more than 250 acres done by Tuesday. "I tried some corn, but it was just too wet," he said.
Hartz agrees with Norton. "Considering how dry it was in August, I am surprised at how well they are yielding," said Hartz. "I just finished a 100-acre field. I had beans as low as 45 and as high as 54 (bushels) per acre."
Hartz's yield so far tops NortonÕs countywide average yield estimate for this year of 41 to 42 bushels per acre.
The average soybean yield per acre in Rock County for the last five years is 45 bushels per acre. The record bean yield year is 1999 with 48 bushels per acre.
While farmers in some parts of the county are combining beans, few have started on corn. Norton expects that to change by next week, with freezing temperatures forecast by the end of this week.
Farmer Morris Fick said only a few farmers in his area 10 miles southwest of Luverne are combining beans or corn. "We've got beans close, but they donÕt look like they are quite ready yet," he said. "There arenÕt very many people going in this area. We had a little bit too much hail."
The small amount of corn already combined in Rock County was toppled by the wind, according to Norton. Some of this corn yielded in the area of 50 bushels per acre.
"You can drive down the road and the corn will look fine, but when you get up on a hill you can see how much is downed," said Norton.
The determining factors for the amount of crop damaged by the strong winds was the corn's stage of growth, variety and corn root worms, according to Norton.
Most corn plants were not tasseled out when the winds hit, so brace roots had not developed to keep the plants anchored during the winds.
Norton expects this year's corn yield to be in the neighborhood of 135 to 140 bushels per acre, lower than last year's record average yield of 158 bushels per acre. The Rock County corn yield average is 142 bushels per acre.
"Unfortunately, it's going to be a very average year," said Norton. "Yields are down this year, and the price farmers can expect to receive for their product will be about the same as last year. Namely, the loan rate."