More harvest progress was made this past week until rain set in over the weekend. Read more to hear from OSU Extension Educators and Specialists on how harvest is faring in their regions.
Northwest Ohio
Defiance County ANR Educator Kyle Verhoff reports that the majority of field activity in the region has been soybean harvest with yield reports ranging from 50 to 85 bu/ac. Corn harvest continues to be slowed by high grain moisture (21-26%) as growers hope for field drying conditions to return in order to lower drying costs prior to storage. Rainfall late last week halted harvest but is welcomed for wheat and cover crop germination.
Central & West Central Ohio
Soybean harvest is finishing up in central Ohio as corn harvest lags. Growers in the region took advantage of last week’s field conditions to continue fall tillage, wheat and cover crop planting, and fertilizer applications. Late season tar spot continues to be a concern for the area, and affected fields should be monitored for standability issues as harvest continues. Giant ragweed, waterhemp, volunteer corn, and common lambsquarters are the main weed threats in soybean fields across the region.
Southeast Ohio
Perry County ANR Educator Ted Wiseman reports that soybean harvest is around 90% complete with average yields near 70 bu/ac. Wheat and cover crop planting continues, and corn harvest is just starting in his region as growers battle high moisture and slow in-field dry down. Most of the area received less than a half inch of rain at the end of last week.
Northeast Ohio
Wet conditions slowed harvest progress in the northeastern corner of the state. In Ashtabula County, Andrew Holden reports that 50-60% of soybeans are harvested, though other areas of the region like Geauga County have made less progress. Soybean yields are highly variable, with April planted beans outperforming those planted between May 1-15. Corn harvest is slow and lowering test weight and quality is a concern for area farmers as more rain is in the forecast.