By Lori Ehde
Midway through the growing season, area producers are assessing their crops and making predictions on yields.
Following two years of record harvest in Rock County this fall may be a letdown, due to damaging storms earlier this year.
Widespread hail pelted soybean fields in the southern part of Rock County in late May, just after the tender shoots had emerged.
According to Extension Educator Fraser Norton, some farmers clearly had to replant, but the borderline fields left on their own have done remarkably well.
"The questionable ones who didn't replant made the right decision," Norton said. "For the most part, those fields did come back. In fact they did better than if they'd been replanted, plus those farmers avoided the extra costs of replanting."
In July, high winds flattened fledgling cornstalks in northern Rock County.
Norton said the most damage occurred in fields whose root systems had already been compromised by soil compaction or herbicide damage or root worm. Stage of crop development was also a factor.
Chuck Feikema, who plants about 1,500 acres of corn, said winds damaged about 80 percent his fields.
"It's pretty well twisted up and laying down, and the stalks have goosenecked," he said.
Feikema said the storm simply came at a bad time for the stalks because they hadn't established strong "brace roots" yet.
Now, he's hoping the timing is better for the first snowfall, which would put the already low-laying ears on the ground.
"It could be challenging to harvest. I'm sure this took 20 percent off our yields," Feikema said.
On the bright side, Norton said local fields are looking better than others in the Midwest.
"Rock County is certainly the best in the region," he said.
"I've been up to the Cities several times this summer. There, they started out way too wet, and then it got really dry, so the roots were not as developed as they should be."
Countywide, Norton said yields will be down, but he said they'll still be close to average for Rock County.
An average corn yield for Rock County is 140 bushels per acre. Soybeans have averaged 40 to 45 bushels per acre.
Compared with 158-bushel corn last year and 49-bushel soybeans two years ago, harvest this year may be a letdown.
"It's too early to say for beans," Norton said. "August is an important month, and we'll need rain this month for pod filling."
He added that harvest is still a long way off, considering several things could affect yields between now and then.
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating," Norton said. "We won't know until we see the yields."