As we head into mid-August, things on the farms and ranches are beginning to change again. The last few fields of haying are getting finished up, and while it’s a relief to see that task finally behind us, this year’s hay crop hasn’t been as strong as we would have liked. The dry conditions have lasted for quite awhile, and we have been seeing the effect on most of our crops.
Rainfall has been short most of the season, and the lack of moisture has been leaving a lot of the crops standing dry. The corn especially has been very dry and seems to be getting worse as the dry days go on.
As for soybeans, they have been doing OK, but could also use a rainfall sometime soon. While we have been struggling to get rainfall, there are some other areas that have been a little bit luckier with getting some rain. As always, the weather and rainfall can vary drastically, depending where you are located.
On the livestock side of things, ranchers are beginning to look ahead to fall work. For our operation, and for many in our area, the next couple of weeks will mark the start of the first round of fall calf shots. Vaccinating the calves helps set them up for a healthy fall and winter. While we haven’t started working our calves quite yet, others have already started.
Another challenge this year has been grasshoppers. They have been the heaviest that we have seen in many years, and they have caused many problems in both fields and pastures. They seem to have taken over some crops, and that is a big issue that a lot of farmers have been facing.
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Some people have already chosen to spray for grasshoppers, to see what they can do to help save some of their crops. Others have decided against spraying, weighing the high costs of the spray against the value of crops that are left. Either way, the grasshoppers have been a very frustrating pest that adds another layer of difficulty to an already dry year.
Gregory County FFA members helped clear tornado debris from a field, removing six tractor loads in a matter of hours.Â
Between cleaning up from the tornado and planting some crops of their own, the Gregory County FFA chapter has been keeping busy these last couple of weeks. The tornado of July 28 left a lot of debris in a field. FFA members, as well as a parent, helped clean up the field. They cleared out six tractor loaders of branches, wire and posts. What would have taken the landowner days on his own took the volunteers only a couple hours.
At the test plot, they put out different seed brand signs so people can see the different types of seed that was planted. There will be a test plot day Wednesday, Sept. 10, from 6-8 p.m. at the field, where producers can compare the different soybean and corn varieties.
For many people, school will be starting up again within the next week. Summer always goes by very fast, and this one has been no exception. Between haying, helping with cattle, and being busy with FFA, there hasn’t been much downtime. But even with some of the challenges, it feels good to look back at all of the things we have accomplished over the past summer months.
Gregory County FFA members placed signs for different seed varieties growing at their test plot. A field day will be held at the plot Sept. 10.Â
Looking ahead, there’s still plenty of work to come. But for now the focus remains on hoping for rain, keeping the livestock healthy, and preparing the shift from summer to fall. Even though it has been a difficult season, we keep moving forward to accomplish more and more every day.
Youth Crop Watcher Ava Kerner is the daughter of Julie and Steve Kerner of Burke, South Dakota. She will be a senior at Burke High School this fall. She is FFA secretary for the Gregory County chapter and the District 4 Sentinel.
