Jamestown-area farmer Terry Wanzek said soybeans and pinto beans are finished, while corn harvest is nearing completion. Despite summer heat and drought, soybean yields exceeded expectations. “Our bean crop surprised us,” Wanzick said. “It probably exceeded our expectations by maybe five to ten bushels.” Wanzek said a normal soybean crop would be around 35 to 40 bushels per acre, while this year’s crop averaged 45 to 50 bushels. Corn is averaging about 160 bushels per acre. He credits timely rainfall and improved genetics for helping crops withstand the dry conditions. “It seems like we get some of our best crops when we’re right on the edge of a drought and we get a timely rain here and there.”
