12 November 4, 2014 2014 LOGAN COUNTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
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For other farmers closer to central Illinois,
harvest was progressing at a normal pace
until the end of September, when sudden
rain appeared dropping two to three inches
rain in some areas. Fortunately, the dry
conditions prior helped prevent conditions
from being worse.
According to USDA reports as of early
October, only thirty-five percent of the
Illinois corn crop had been brought in by
the famers. This is much lower than the
previous five-year average for incoming
crop percentage in October, which hovered
around fifty percent at that time.
A similar trend was observed with soybeans
and their harvested amounts. As with corn,
soybean estimates were sitting at around
twenty-nine percent as of early October.
This down from the average of the last
five years, in which soybean harvests sat at
around fifty-two percent at the same time.
Despite the hardships that farmers
experienced during this harvest season,
the USDA is confident that there should be
above average yields this year once the crop
has been brought in. Illinois famers
are feeling the same way, and they are
taking every opportunity they can this year
to get out in the fields and bring in their
crop.
Another effect of the slow harvest has
been a late planting of winter wheat.
Normally, October is the prime month for
planting winter wheat. It is not an absolute
necessity, but it is typically the month
