On the fourth and final day of the Red River Farm Network Crop Tour, presented by Pioneer, farm broadcasters Don Wick and Carah Hart started the day near Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. The tour worked its way north, ending at Roseau, Minnesota. A second leg of Thursday’s tour started near Minto, North Dakota, moved south and ended in Larimore, North Dakota.
Adequate moisture helped crops growing near Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Trinity Creek Ranch owner David Miller said heat units are needed. “Our earlier corn is starting to dent and the soybeans are podded and the earlier soybeans are turning color.” Harvest is also taking place. “We’re probably half done with total harvest. The tall fescue, cereal rye and wheat are finished. We also have a field of peas, oats and canola harvested.” Near Oakley, wheat is being harvested. Greg Hiljerman said there are some varieties that have problems. “We have some wheat with disease. I’ve seen ergot and other diseases lowering yield on one particular variety.” Check out the crop near Red Lake Falls.
The second leg of the tour began near Minto, North Dakota, where Schuster Seeds owner Steven Schuster says conditions have been dry. Compared to last year, the soybean and corn crops should yield closer to average for the area. “The soybeans perk up with some rain, but droop over again two days later. There is some firing in the lower leaves of corn,” said Schuster. “While we are still abnormally dry, they should yield better than last year.”
The corn is maturing near Dorothy, Minnesota. Black River Ag owner Luke Forness said a few of the hybrids are starting to dent. “We wouldn’t have made it without the rains in August.” Forness is harvesting sugarbeets. “It’s muddy, the trucks are starting to slide. We need to get these crops harvested.” Take a closer look at the crop in Dorothy, Minnesota.
In Stephen, Minnesota, recent rains are going to push the soybeans, but more time is needed for the crop to develop before a frost. Pioneer Sales Representative Alex Anderson said the rains are encouraging more weeds. “Ragweed was the big challenge this year, but we also had some waterhemp.” Farmers are harvesting small grains. Peter Hvidsten said the wheat yield is lower. “The yield was variable. In low spots, yields were higher and we’re getting ready to harvest dry beans.” Hear more about the crops near Stephen, Minnesota.
Jordan McArthur, who operates McArthur Seed at Munich, North Dakota, says his region suffered from dry conditions. “It would have been nice to have had a rain a month ago, but we’ll take what we get.” McArthur, who is located about 40 miles north of Devils Lake, is seeing some denting in his early maturity hybrids. Soybean conditions vary and “we’ll have to see what happens when I get into the combine.”
Just east of Devils Lake at Crary, North Dakota Trevor Stromme of Stromme Seed Company said the crops are behind, but there is potential for the corn and soybeans to finish and outperform last year. “Corn is in early dent. The faucet kind of shut off in the middle of July, so that might have hurt the soybeans a bit, but the top pods have really filled the last two weeks.”
Soybeans look phenomenal near Kennedy, Minnesota. Tom Dowdle said the growing season was just right for the crop. “The soybeans look great because of timely rains.” According to Pioneer Sales Associate, Dana Weiskopf, there were some insect challenges. “There’s been thistle caterpillar and grasshoppers. It’s in all crops, not just soybeans.” Kris Folland farms northeast of Kennedy. “This is the third year for a dry crop. We did get about 2.5 inches of rain in the last two weeks, which will help the corn, but doesn’t help the soybeans.” Look at the crop in the Kennedy, Minnesota area.
Between Grand Forks and Devils Lake at Larimore, North Dakota, it was a later than usual planting season. Summit Seed owner John Aamodt says July was on the dry side, but August rains are helping fill out the crop. “The early planted corn is in full dent, and the soybeans are reaching full fill.”
At Roseau, Minnesota, South 89 Seed owner Amy Brateng voiced concern about white mold in soybeans. Resistant weeds are also an issue, “specifically, ragweed and now, waterhemp.” Despite the various crop issues, the Roseau has had timely rains. “We’re kind of a little garden spot up here. We’re going to need some warmth to finish the crop, but we’ve been blessed.”
The second Red River Farm Network Crop Tour, presented by Pioneer, covers northwest Minnesota, North Dakota and northern portions of South Dakota. Follow the crop tour on Facebook, Twitter and via #RRFNCropTour19.