Things looking better near Temvik, but rain needed Farm and Ranch Guide: Producer Reports

TEMVIK, N.D. - After a slow start to this growing season things are starting to look a little better for the crops near Temvik in south central North Dakota.

Dry soil conditions and a very cool, cloudy spring didn't help the crops get off to a good start in May. But in June, the region around Temvik, like much of North Dakota, received some nice rains which really gave a boost to the crops.

And Tony Nagel, who gave his Producer Progress report on June 25, would like to see some more rain to give his crops another boost.

“We could use a little rain again,” he said. “We didn't get any Tuesday night. We're just kind of holding our own.”

Still, that's a position that Tony feels pretty good about considering what he was thinking when June began.

“From where we came two weeks ago, I feel pretty good,” he said. “The wheat is looking good and the price has been going up, so that's good.”

Tony said the soybeans are growing and the sunflowers are up and running. Although they had a little bout with cutworms, there wasn't a lot of damage.

Tony also said the spring wheat is looking pretty decent.

“I like to think it's going to run 60 bushels (per acre) but we know that's not going to happen. It actually looks pretty fair. I am not so sure a 40 bushel crop might not still be out their, but we need rain to finish it out.”

Tony completed spraying the wheat fields after his last report and likes what he's seeing so far.

“There's some real nice wheat crops out there,” he said. “The early wheat and barley might have got hurt coming through the first part of the season without rain, but I think the later spring wheat will be some decent stuff.

“If we can get a rain shower right now we'd be in good shape. It wouldn't be the best crop I've ever had by no means, but it would be average or better.”

The winter wheat crop, which Tony was very concerned about earlier in June, has also rebounded and is fully headed out.

“It actually looks pretty fair. I'm happy with it,” he said. “It's probably going to be the lowest I've ever had, but I'm happy with it because two weeks ago I would have been happy to burn it down.”

One crop in the area that is lagging behind is corn.

“Corn is definitely behind - no doubt. A lot of it is only about 6-7 inches tall and we're a week before the 4th. ‘Knee by the 4th of July' won't happen this year,” he said.

“I'm a little skeptical about corn making it. If we get an early frost before Labor Day that could really hurt.”

What's helped the crops along is the three and a half inches of rain they received during the early part of June. However, they haven't received any real measurable moisture since then.

“I'm just so thankful we got some rain,” he said. “Two years ago we were taking off four bushels to the acre for spring wheat. When we first started spraying I was so afraid we'd be doing that again, but that's not going to be the case this year.”

Tony's brother started cutting hay recently and early reports are that the crop was also hurt by the poor spring weather.

“That's the first cutting this year. “We're hoping for a second cutting because I don't think the first cutting will amount to much. There could be a scarcity of hay in the area this year.”

The pastures also look a little tough in the area although they're starting to come around a little bit. But again, another shot of rain is needed.

Besides spraying the wheat, Tony said the corn has been sprayed once.

“We might have to get another shot on the corn in a couple weeks, and the grasses are just ferocious in the flowers,” he said.

For right now, though, Tony is looking to the skies for another shot of moisture.

“We're okay for now, but we still have a whole month to go before harvest begins,” he said. “If we don't get rain, we'll have light test weights and the kernels will be small. An inch of rain sure wouldn't hurt us.”