Dubois County crop harvest well underway

Corn and soybean harvest continues on schedule for Dubois County as local farmers take advantage of excellent fall harvest weather.

Crop surveys completed by Purdue Extension – Dubois County on Saturday, September 26, 2020, found local farmers rapidly harvesting local crops during dry, breezy weather with temperatures in the mid-70’s.

Corn harvest was at 38%, with much of this spring’s early planted corn already harvested. Farmers may need to be assessing the quality of corn stalks and ear shanks in their fields and planning their harvest order accordingly, with recent droughty conditions resulting in weakened plants.

Soybean harvest is also finally getting underway, with 26% of local fields being harvested and leaf drop (indicator of approaching crop maturity) taking place in most full season fields. Double-crop soybean fields (soybeans planted later in season after winter wheat) have also begun leaf drop in some fields but are running several weeks behind full season soybeans due to later planting dates.

The planting of wheat will soon begin as corn and soybean harvest progresses.  Traditional planting of wheat is after the wheat “fly-free” date of October 7 to significantly reduce the chance of Hessian fly infestations. 

For September, October, and November, state climate models are showing above-normal temperatures, with uncertain moisture predictions.