Janel: The Wind Has Been Singing Dixie For Days

Kinsley, Kansas – We have been lucky enough to have wheat to cut and harvest weather lately.  We’ve also had south winds 20 to 35 mph for several consecutive days which has allowed us to start earlier in the mornings and cut later into the evenings too.  The wheat has been yielding 45 to 55 bushels per acre with 61 lbs test weights.  The wind singing Dixie everyday has helped us along.  I figure the wind will blow until it rains.  We have yet to get rained out this harvest but there is rain in the forecast.  We have come close (within 5 miles) a few times but so far the rain has stayed away from us.  Last year it rained everywhere we went.  I did cut one field that yielded over 60 bushels per acre.  However, it was on summer fallow ground and that makes a big difference.

We had a few combines finish up recently on wheat over in the Pratt, Kansas area.  The wheat report I got was that is just wasn’t very good there this year due to drought conditions.  The wheat was super short and the yields were 5 to 30 bushels per acre and in some fields the weeds had taken over and made a disaster of the crop and made it misery for the cutters.  The wheat was just short and full of weeds and was tough cutting.

We now have combines cutting north of Dodge City, Kansas and the reports are so far so good.  The wheat looks decent and yields have been 40 to 50 bushels per acre.  Jared called me today and told me the elevator had reported to him that the wheat he was sending in looked very good and is the cleanest wheat they have seen.  Coincidentally, we had just gotten the same report from a different elevator about five minutes earlier.  We do appreciate the clean grain compliments!

Schemper Harvesting 2018This is my kind of place.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat late at night, east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018LaVern Schemper cutting east of Dodge City, Kansas on a hot and windy day.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018This is how Miss Moo tells me she needs water asap!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Some super looking amber waves of grain east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018My audience while harvesting wheat east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018The wind is singing dixie today.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Jared Schemper cutting wheat east of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018A storm just west of us and it rained within five miles of our field but luckily missed us and we kept cutting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere.  Janel Schemper can be reached at janel@allaboardharvest.com.

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