Harvest season is underway and farm equipment is filling the fields and roads of Union County. Much of the machinery, like this combine on U.S. Route 31 near Patrick Brush Run, remains empty during the morning hours because high humidity in September and early October had kept farmers out of the fields till afternoon.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Jacob Runnels)
––––
Local farmers and agriculture officials are excited with what appears to be a good harvest.
“It’s actually going pretty well,” said Wayne Dellinger, Ohio State University Extension Office Agricultural and Natural Resources Educator for Union County.
Dan Vollrath, who farms in southern Union County echoed that the harvest is “moving right along.”
He said he has about 70 percent of his beans harvested and about 50 percent of his corn.
“The yields are doing very well for all the rain we had,” Vollrath said. “I think we are a little bit above average everywhere.”
Jeff Swartz, who farms several farms west of Richwood, said he has about 60 percent of his beans cut. He agreed that his bean yield has been “better than average.”
“We are seeing really good yields so far, at least for the most part in most of the fields,” Swartz said. “It really depends on where it rained and where it didn’t.”
Dellinger said soybeans are averaging between 60 and 70 bushels per acre.
“Its good,” Dellinger said. “It’s not spectacular, but it’s good.”
He said the weather has been “very cooperative” locally, though many of the fields have wet spots where the beans did not grow because of standing water early in the season.
“Otherwise, the yields would have been really good,” Dellinger said.
Earlier this week, he said Union County farmers have about two-thirds of the beans harvested and about 20 percent of the corn.
“The priority is to get the beans off first,” Dellinger said. “The corn can stand to be in the ground a little longer and be OK.”
He said that is an average because farmers in the southern end of the county are further along than farmers in the north. He said the northern portion of the county had more rain early in the season.
“Their crops are a little further behind because they didn’t get in as early,” Dellinger said.
Vollrath said that in addition to getting in the ground earlier, his corn matured quickly this year and he was able to get some cut before the beans were ready.
“We haven’t really done much corn at all,” Swartz said. “We have shelled just enough corn to see the moisture content.”
He explained that moisture content is important. He said farmers take less money on the sale if the crops have high moisture content.
Farmers can dry corn or beans but that process costs money and time. Additionally, the crops can be stored until they dry, but storage rates have significantly increased.
Swartz and Vollrath each said high morning humidity has kept farmers from getting into the fields most days until midafternoon.
“We have had a lot of extra time to work on our combines and, honestly, sometimes just sit around and wait,” Swartz said.
While humidity has been elevated, Dellinger said Union County has “actually missed a lot of the rain that other areas of the state have gotten.”
He also said with warm weather “we run the risk of some other issues,” specifically mentioning longer potential for insect infestation or disease.
Swartz said it is not nature, but politics that many farmers fear right now. Farmers, Swartz said, are concerned about the price of the beans. He said the trade tariffs with China have hurt the price of beans.
“Farmers would rather have trade than a government handout,” Swartz said.
Vollrath said he is also concerned about an issue closer to home.
“We would just ask drivers to be cautious of the farm machinery on the road,” Vollrath said. “We do our best to look out for traffic. We do our best to yield to traffic when we can and traffic needs to be prepared to yield to us also.”
Dee Jepsen, state agricultural safety and health leader, said many of the crashes happen because the motoring public doesn’t slow down in time before colliding with slow-moving machinery or because cars and trucks passing farm implements without a clear distance of on-coming traffic.
She said farmers and drivers need to cooperate and do their part for roadway safety.
“Drivers in rural areas should be alert to the possibility of encountering slow moving farm vehicles, and be prepared to slow or stop,” Jepsen wrote in a statement. “A little patience is needed this season, as farmers move equipment and grain from the fields to the market. Try to avoid those roads where farmers are on the move, and limit tailgating or swerving behind the large equipment where you can’t be seen.”
Dellinger said the early peak means the harvest will be over sooner and the roads will again be clear.
Swartz reiterated the harvest has been good and Union County had a better season than many other areas, “so we really can’t complain.”
He said he began farming 50 years ago and he has learned, “no two years are ever the same.”
Then he joked, “we farmers do complain, but I guess if it was always good, everyone would be doing it.”