Corn harvest is well under way in West Central and southwest Iowa with moistures running 14-20 percent. Yields are not as good as we had hoped in some situations while they’re surprising good in other areas. I had the shock of my life on Wednesday afternoon when a producer called after harvesting his LH 6058 VT3 PRO along I 29 south of Sioux City. Knowing yields were all over the board I wasn’t expecting to hear he got 264 dry bushels per acre. Yes, 264! Come to find out, there was a strip about 2 miles wide that didn’t miss a rain this summer. His crop definitely benefitted from timely rains.
Other areas were not so lucky and are seeing yields run 80 to 130 bu/A on rotated ground and 60 to 90 in corn on corn situations. Although these are not tremendous yields, they’re better than nothing.
Producers need to get out of their combines and check field loss. In several areas, field are greening up with 2-3 leaf volunteer corn. Follow your gut, not the book: slow down harvest speeds and slow down the fan a little. Trash in the bin will save bushels going out the back. Check your tailing and make proper adjustments. Remember that 3-5 bushels on the ground from ears not being shelled completely or blowing corn out with too much air adds up to $24-$40 an acre!
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