Harvest rush under way locally before the flakes fall

Monday, November 11, 2013
Corn picker at work Monday morning on Greencastle area farm.

Jerry Birt happily opened up his cornfield Monday morning near Greencastle.

It has been a good but long harvest season for area farmers following a season last year most would like to forget.

It is unusual for both soybean and corn crops to be excellent and record breaking in the same year.

Locally, reports at the local Purdue Extension Office for 2013 have been showing superb soybean yields with some fields averaging as high as the middle 70-bushel-per-acre range with most fields at least in the middle 60s.

Additionally most are seeing great corn yields above 200 bushels per acre in many fields. In 2012 many fields did not yield even half this year's amount. It takes considerable time to haul this grain out with these sizeable crops.

Soybean fields have been particularly difficult this year to harvest with frequent drizzle, fog and light rains.

Birt was hoping to harvest his last small tract of soybeans behind this corn later in the day. However, the morning shower and cloudy day forced a change of plans.

Grain must be at 13 percent or less moisture for storage. Moisture content reported by many area farms for corn is still well above the 13 percent safe storage level requiring more time for drying and slowing the process as well.

Local residents are urged to continue to give local farmers extra space and time on the area roadways as harvest season continues.

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