North Dakota and Minnesota Field Notes

October 19, 2020

North Dakota and Minnesota Field Notes

Oct 19, 2020

Key Issues:Production

Author: Cathryn Wojcicki

 

“The next five days will be even more interesting than the last. Forecasts call for one to three inches of snow tonight. I haven’t seen an amount yet, but Thursday holds the potential for snow, and we could get a full foot on Sunday.

 

“The good thing is that, if we can run most of tonight until midnight or one a.m., there will only be about 80 to 100 acres left standing.

 

“It is interesting. We have combined two corn crops of 16 percent or less moisture corn in five and a half months.

 

“To date, the harvest has gone well in terms of weather and not having the challenges of the last two years. That has been a blessing.

 

“This year, corn is 13.5 to 17 percent moisture with good test weights, for us, above 56 pounds. Our fields on the higher ground did well with above-average yields. The fields that we are in now couldn’t handle the water and have reduced yields. There was flat out too much water.”

 

– Randy Melvin, North Dakota farmer

 

“Corn harvest is coming along well. Right now, we are about halfway done. Besides the breakdowns, things are going smoothly.

 

“The yields are good. They are definitely above average and gave 13.5 to 16 percent moisture coming out of the field. It keeps things moving when you don’t have to turn on the dryers.

 

“We have some snowflakes coming down today. Forecasts only show a 25 percent chance of an inch of accumulation.  It is just a dusting. We will be able to keep going.”

 

– Bryan Biegler, Minnesota farmer