Agricultural News
Early Wheat Harvest Slowly Cranking Up
Thu, 10 May 2012 05:30:42 CDT
Reports are just starting to come in from southwestern Oklahoma as the 2012 wheat harvest is underway. Overcast conditions and cool temperatures have kept moisture levels just high enough to limit widespread harvest, but most of the wheat fields are dead ripe and full scale harvest is just around the corner.
According to the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, the one area that has harvested the most bushels thus far is in and around Altus in Jackson County. Their latest report tells us "In the Altus area harvest is in full swing. Coop elevators in Altus, Tipton, and Olustee have taken in over 130,000 bushels. Test weights are averaging 58, and the moisture is excellent, at 10 11 percent. Yields are ranging in the upper 30's and some irrigated wheat is averaging in the upper 40's to 50 bushels per acre. Gavilon Grain in Altus has taken in around 50,000 bushels since Saturday with low test weights and moisture of 13 or less. The test weights will improve as we get further into harvest. Yields are averaging anywhere from 30 to 40 bushels per acre and they expect harvest to really pick up this weekend."
The Wheat Commission also has limited harvest data from Grandfield, Frederick and Walters, but those areas are all just starting the harvest process- and hope to be in road gear by the weekend. In general, early yields are in the 30 to 40 bushels per acre in these locales.
Mother Nature may keep harvest slow for a few days more, as there is a thirty to forty percent chance of rain for Thursday evening and Friday- Friday's high temperature is only expected to be 70 degrees. In areas where rain stays away, wheat harvest will be seen on a hit and miss basis further north all the way north to close to I-40.
Our 2012 WheatWatch is a service of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, click here for their website where you can learn more about their efforts to work hard for Oklahoma Wheat producers.
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