| The near picture-perfect weather of the past week has hastened harvest
throughout the North Platte Valley and allowed wheat producers to complete
planting their winter wheat crops.
Bean harvest once again picked up speed after rain and wind put it on
hold for several days the previous week. Approximately 50 percent of the
crop is harvested, and growers are encountering problems with those that
were down before the rain came.
Schild said the bean harvest is slightly behind normal, some because of
late planting and some because of the moisture.
"There is some sprouting going on in those beans," said Jim
Schild, Scotts Bluff County Extension Educator. "Some that are
extremely mature are starting to shell out."
Schild added that the quality of the remaining beans should remain high
if they remained upright. "This is a case where the upright varieties
will be in good shape," he said.
Most of the 2001 alfalfa crop has been cut and put up, although some
got wet and has been turned to dry out. "You can see some of it is
discolored from laying out there," Schild said. "With the rain,
the quality may be hurt."
According to Schild, the wheat crop should make it through the winter
in good shape. Some farmers got an early start on planting, about Sept. 1.
Planting usually begins about Sept. 5 and can be used as a cover crop
following beans and potatoes.
"If it gets rooted down with a good root system, it should be OK
for the winter," Schild said.
Area farmers are just waiting for a good freeze to get the moisture
down in the corn crop, so they can begin harvesting, Schild said.
The areas sugar beet harvest began Sept. 26 when Western Sugar
growers started deliveries. Holly Sugar producers will begin harvest Oct.
8.
Overall, it could be a good year for local producers. Except for
isolated instances, the quality of all crops should be good and prices
have improved over the past few weeks. |