Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Farmers predict 5-10 day early start
A plentiful crop of canola wheat glistens in the sunlight on Sunset Highway near Bennett Road Monday, June 26.
DAVENPORT - Above-average temperatures in May and early June have prompted many Lincoln County wheat farmers to predict an early harvest this year.
Farmers are also largely expecting an average to below-average yield depending on wheat type and location around the county, but some predict the possibility of above-average yields.
"It's going to vary quite a bit depending on the field," Harrington-area farmer Jake Tanke said. "I'm guessing winter wheat will be at least average if not above."
Egypt-area farmer Bill Reinbold, who farms winter and spring wheat, said the hot spring caused spring wheat to head much earlier than normal.
"There's a pretty damn good chance we start harvesting on July 20," Reinbold said. "I think winter wheat will be average depending on the field. Some fields will possibly be above average. Spring wheat crops are a crapshoot...coming out of winter, I would've said below average crop (before the hot spring)."
Reardan-area farmer Joel Zwainz said this year's yield is difficult to predict.
I'm hopeful for a good yield, but I could see it being below average," Zwainz said. "We had good subsoil moisture out of winter, but there was also a dry spell, so I don't know what to expect."
Tanke said he anticipates starting harvest at least a week early this year.
"We normally start around the 22nd to 25th of July, and I think we might be before the 20th," he said.
Marlin-area farmer Brian Schorzman said he expects to start harvest in July, but later than other farmers because he had to intercede some blank spots in his winter wheat fields with spring wheat crops.
"That hot streak pushed things along," Schorzman said. "It pushed it along probably five days."
Zwainz said he also anticipates an early harvest in the Reardan area.
"We're currently swapping bluegrass a wheat and a half earlier from last year," Zwainz said. "We're probably going to be 10 days early on winter wheat."
Reinbold said his spring crop grew much faster than normal this year thanks to a combination of early heat and enough moisture to avoid drying out crops.
"Instead of growing X each day, it grew X and a half or X and a quarter each day," he said. "(The heat) brought it in its cycle faster."
A hot spring didn't help every farmer, as Tanke said heat tends to impact yield "pretty heavily..." especially for winter wheat crops.
"Where it probably positively affected spring crops up north, it negatively affected winter crops down here," Tanke said.
Tanke noted that the price of wheat has been declining, but that is somewhat offset by cost production going down "quite a bit as well."
Schorzman said he expects an average harvest depending on how much moisture each field receives.
"Some parts caught a shower, some didn't," he said.
"In talking with other farmers, I don't think they're expecting average yields," Tanke said. "I think most people would be pretty happy with average."
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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