Glendive Ranger-Review

A lot of people may be ready for cooler temperatures, but Dawson County wheat farmers are hoping for a string of hot, sunny days as their combines move into spring wheat fields.

Winter wheat harvest is almost finished, but many local farmers are just beginning on their spring wheat, Tim Mattick, manager of the Farmers Elevator Shuttle Facility in Glendive, said. Yields have been running between 40 and 60 bushels to an acre, but protein content is low and that has an impact on prices. Spring wheat with 11 percent protein was selling at $4.07 a bushel Thursday at the Glendive elevator while spring wheat with 13 percent protein was going for $5.52.

In Lindsay, some spring wheat has come in at 10 percent protein, and that is a little discouraging for farmers who were hoping for good yields and good prices, Bill Gardner of the Farmers Elevator in Lindsay said.

A cool wet spring resulted in a late harvest, and many farmers who would be almost finished in an average year are just getting into the fields. Heavy morning dews and some fog have also slowed the harvest. Wednesday it was after 11 a.m. before it had dried off enough that the Eatons in the Lindsay area were able to start cutting and they had to quit about 10:45 p.m., Connie Eaton reported.

Mervin Johnson from the Bloomfield area usually starts harvesting spring wheat around the first of August, but this year he didn’t get started until last week and has only been able to get in half days. Late Thursday afternoon a storm came through, dumped about half an inch of rain and forced him to shut down and tarp up, he said, adding that the forecast for the weekend looked brighter.

On Belle Prairie, Jim Gentry is a little ahead of the game. He had his wheat seeded by the end of April and started combining about 10 days ago. Help from a friend whose crop wasn’t ready yet was a huge boost for him.

“The spring wheat is just awesome,” he said. “I’ll probably never see this again.”

In fields, where he usually gets between 35 and 40 bushels to the acre, he is getting 43 to 60 bushels. Even though the protein is a little lower, the higher yields and fairly good prices should make for a great season.

“It’s hard to find anything to complain about this year,” he said.

Tom Eaton started harvesting at the beginning of the week and is looking at yields of 45 to 60 bushels an acre and protein around 13.

“I’ve been farming for 40 years and this is the best crop I’ve ever seen,” he said, quickly adding, “It’s not all in the bin yet. We could still get a good hail storm.”

Grasshoppers may also cause some problems as the season progresses, Dawson County Extension Agent Bruce Smith noted. The prairie grass was thick enough this year that grasshoppers did not move into crops as much. As the grass dries up, that may change.

“For the most part, while there are grasshoppers everywhere, I have not heard of excessive damage,” Smith said.