Field and Garden: Warm, dry weather speeds fall harvest

As we passed fields of harvest-ready soybeans, the agronomist traveling with me commented, “Three weeks ago, I never would have imagined our crops maturing this fast.”

I felt the same way. In early September, I was checking corn growth models daily, wondering if the crop would reach maturity before the first frost.

But then the rain stopped, and temperatures rose. During the last two weeks of September, we had eight days when the mercury climbed above 80 degrees.

The warm temperatures, coupled with strong winds and low humidity, pushed the crops to mature much faster than most of us imagined possible.

By October 1, many Foster County farmers were harvesting soybeans.

Yields varied significantly across the county, ranging from 28 to over 50 bushels per acre. The highest yields were on well-drained land. Stand loss due to drown-out was the main problem in fields with low yields.

The corn will likely be ready to harvest soon after the soybeans are finished.

If the weather forecast looks favorable, some farmers may leave their corn in the field a bit longer to further reduce grain moisture and avoid the added cost of drying.

The dry, mild weather we’re seeing this fall is typical of what we normally experience in North Dakota ahead of La Niña winters.

The Climate Prediction Center recently updated its forecast outlook, indicating a 71 percent chance that La Niña will develop by November and continue through the winter.

If past trends hold, we can expect a sharp transition to winter-like temperatures in late fall, followed by colder-than-normal conditions in the months that follow.

La Niña winters are usually marked by average to above-average snowfall.

The strength of La Niña, which is influenced by water temperatures near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, will determine just how intense these conditions become.

My concern in the coming weeks is that the warm, dry weather might tempt some farmers to do more tillage than usual this fall, leaving the soil exposed to wind during winter and spring.

Soil cores I recently examined show that over half of the topsoil has already been lost in some, if not many, fields in Foster County.

To continue thriving as a county, we can’t afford to keep losing soil at this rate.

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I know it’s early, but I hope you’ll mark your calendars for Central Dakota Ag Day at the Carrington REC on Monday, Dec. 16.

This year’s keynote speaker is Tom Brusegaard, a member of Senator Hoeven’s staff, who will provide an update on agriculture-related topics at the federal level.

NDSU Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson will also present his outlook for the grain markets in 2025.

Attendees will have the opportunity to choose from 18 breakout sessions covering agronomy, livestock production and agricultural life.

Farmers, ranchers and community members are all welcome to attend, and preregistration is not required.