Agronomist: Prepare for early harvest

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington-based field agronomist encourages area farmers to prepare for an early harvest this year.

Chad Kalaher covers east central Illinois for Beck’s Hybrids and says we are in for a very good crop this fall and harvest will be here very soon.

“If we compare a 30-year average heat unit accumulation with an April 25 planting date, we are about 10 days ahead of schedule,” Kalaher told The Central Illinois Farm Network.

Some may equate an early harvest with poor yields, but Kalaher isn’t worried due to the timing of heat and rainfall this season. He is still hopeful for strong yields in Illinois.

“Harvest is going to hit fast and it’s all going to hit pretty much together,” Kalaher adds.

Area Field Update:

George Halpin farms near Cullom in eastern Livingston County and said crop conditions sure went south since the end of June when he thought he was on the verge of raising the best corn crop ever. He has not received much rain at all since then.

"We are still going to have a good crop but it's dying fast. We need a good rain to help fill the pods on soybeans," Halpin admits.

Halpin talked to someone who just sampled corn moisture and it was 31 percent which is unusual for this point in the summer. He predicts many combines will be rolling by Labor Day weekend if not before.