Southern Indiana Crops Ready For Harvest

(File Photo)

(Hoosier Ag Today) — The crop tour that went through Indiana last week did not swing through southern counties, but this area of the state is expecting good harvest results. There were times this year when Southern Indiana was too wet and times when it was too dry, but in the end the crops have done very well.

According to Steve Gauck, agronomist with Beck’s, “Corn is pretty much made; the rains of the past few days have really finished it off well. Soybeans will need another rain, but there are a lot of pods and good branching; the crop looks good.”

Gauck says, while yield estimates central and north are setting records, Southern Indiana crops may not set records but will be very respectable, “In some of the hand checks I have done, we have seen corn fields that range from 160 bpa to 270.” He added Southern Indiana will not see the top end breakouts like northern fields are seeing on the good ground, but it is the average ground in southern counties that is producing solid yields this year.

About 46% of Southern Indiana corn has dented. Despite the lack of growing degree days, Gauck told HAT harvest is expected to begin in Mid-September, “We were fortunate this year, our stands look good and, even with the cool spring, guys got their planters up and rolling and did a great job of getting the crop in.  Getting the crop off to a good start has really led to higher yields as the season has progressed.”

Hoosier Ag Today meteorologist Rob Wasson says warm temperatures and a chance of rain will be in the Indiana forecast for the rest of the week. “A slow-moving, cold front is starting to enter the Ohio Valley,” said Wasson.  “It’ll take its time pushing through the state on Wednesday and, as it does, showers and thunderstorms will develop along that boundary.  The front will settle just south of Indiana on Thursday, leaving most of the region dry and mild.  The front pushes back northward as a warm front on Friday giving farmers another chance of rain.  Unsettled weather is expected over the weekend with more showers and storms.”  The extended, two week forecast calls for seasonal temperatures and rainfall across the entire state.  The long range 30 day outlooks shows near average temps and rains over the entire Midwest.