Area harvest update

Northeastern Livingston County Farmer Jason Bunting has a few more beans left to harvest and a large majority of his family’s corn crop still needs to come out.

“On the rainy mornings, it gives us plenty of time to work in the shop and office and try to have a catch-up day,” said Bunting, who serves as the Livingston County Farm Bureau president.

Bunting is pleasantly surprised with yields this fall after a summer of spotty rainfall. You only have to go a couple of miles to find a difference in yield averages.

“We could see where a lack of rain in some spots kind of hurt us a bit this year,” Bunting explained.

The Buntings managed to complete a fourth cutting of hay done this year. They always plan on getting three complete but hope to get four or five in a season. Bunting was disappointed with the last cutting after Labor Day following a dry August.

Several miles to the south near Cropsey in McLean County, farmer Jeff Abbey has completed his harvest. He had a “very good crop” which was better than expected. Abbey experienced more rainfall than those to his south.

“As we went north of Cropsey, we actually had a little higher yields and more consistent yields,” he said.

The ground was dry enough for Abbey to start fall tillage, then things turned wet. Once the rain quits, Abbey hopes the fields dry out in a timely manner.