Labor Day weekend is upon us, and for farmers that means it’s close to harvest time. The question is ‘how close?’ Vermilion County Farm Bureau spokesperson Tom Fricke says that most likely you’ll see combines in the corn fields starting the second week of September, with maybe a few exceptions.
AUDIO: There could be a few that got in real early in the spring that might go first week of September, but I think we’re looking mid-September for the most part; unless we get another week of 90 degree temperatures like we had last week.
If you’re driving along the road right now, the corn and soybeans look very strong. But Fricke says, that could be misleading in some areas.
AUDIO: What it looks like from the road and what’s actually out in the fields could be two different issues. The rains we had both early in the spring and then the heavy rains we had during the growing season I think are going to create some drowned out spots.
Fricke says this can be especially true when it comes to corn, because it’s hard to tell what’s going on in there.
AUDIO: Unless you have drone capabilities to be able to get an overhead look at your field, or it’s hard to walk a cornfield and see what’s going on because of the tendency of the corn to be taller than you, and you can’t get an overview of what’s going on in that field.
As always, farmers will begin by harvesting the corn, move over to soybeans when they have matured, and then go back to finish the corn.
