Increasingly dry conditions the last two months have provided a double-edged sword for area agriculture.
On KVOE’s Morning Show this week, Lyon County Extension Ag Agent Brian Rees said the dryness has helped — somewhat — when it comes to harvest conditions.
However, rainfall is definitely needed. There hasn’t been a widespread significant rainfall since the area got 1-3 inches of rain Sept. 18-20. The US Drought Monitor has the entire KVOE listening area in moderate drought, or Level 2 on its 5-point scale.
Rees says a lot of area farmers have gotten their winter wheat crop in the ground.
Rees says harvest results for corn and beans vary widely. Beans have ranged from 15 to well above 50 bushels an acre, while corn has been anywhere from 50 to 150 bushels.
Short-term, the weather pattern is getting much more unsettled. After a heavy rain and severe weather threat Wednesday, more rain is possible from Friday evening through at least Tuesday — with two to four inches of rain possible for the weekend into early next week.
