Above average corn crop expected despite dry summer
A good corn crop yield is expected on most county farms despite a summer that brought below-normal rainfall, but hay production could come up short.
Crop yields and rainfall vary across the county, but recent yield surveys showed farms with fields projected to produce 184 to 186 bushels per acre of corn and 56 bushels per acre of soybeans.
Justin Brackenrich, a field and forage crop specialist for the county’s Penn State Extension office who conducted the yield surveys, said 184 to 186 bushels per acre of corn exceeds last year’s statewide average of 169 bushels per acre.
Some farms will see higher yields, and some will see lower yields depending on how much rain fell, he said.
A generation ago, before the science of genetics became prevalent in agriculture, a dry summer might have been devastating to farms, he said.
Most farmers now use a variety of corn, soybean and other seeds that can be planted at different times based on the weather during spring planting season and other factors, Brackenrich said.
One variety of corn matures in 105 to 108 days, and another matures in 86 days. Some varieties are designed to withstand dry weather. Some farmers use six different varieties each season, he said.
Farming cooperatives and seed dealers work with farmers to help them select the seeds that fit their needs, he said.
Soybeans are difficult to study. Plants can have a few dozen to more than 100 bean pods, and dry weather can lead to disparate yields in plants in the same field, Brackenrich said.
Despite those variations, he said he is expecting a yield of about 56 bushels per acre, which equals the state average.
Hay production from the first two cuttings was down, but above average rain in August might have produced enough hay for a good third cutting.
Yields from the first cutting in late May or early June and the second cutting in late June or early July were down, but there is hope for the third cutting usually taken in late August or early September, Brackenrich said.
“The question is going into winter. Can we get enough for the winter? We hope to close the gap and not run short on hay this year,” Brackenrich said.
According to the National Weather Service, the 3.39 inches of rain that fell in the region in August was above the 3.19-inch average.
However, July and June were drier that normal. The 3.69 inches of rain in July was more than a half-inch less than the 4.26-inch average, and the 3 inches in June was more than an inch below the 4.12-inch average.
In May, 5.03 inches of precipitation exceeded the average by more than an inch. April rains totaled 3.23 inches, which was slightly above average.
The wet spring delayed planting at the Thiele Dairy Farm in Cabot and the dry summer hurt the crops, but the overall yield will be good, said William Thiele, who helps run the family farm.
“Our crops look pretty decent. I can’t complain too much,” Thiele said. “Overall, our crops are doing better than I expected.”
He gives some of the credit to the farm’s no-till practices and the use of cover crops, which help keep soil moist and prevent erosion.
Rainfall was spotty this year, and some farms received more than than others, Thiele said.
The dry summer also affected home lawns, but this month is the ideal time to make them green again.
Bob Stirling, of Stirling Landscape and Nursery Center of Center Township, said now through early October is the time to apply weed control, remove dead grass by thatching, aerate soil, fertilize and over seed with new grass seeds.
“Over seeding after aerating is good. We love pelletized lime and starter fertilizer in the fall when seeding,” Stirling said.
Hot, dry weather makes grass become dormant, compacts soil and spurs the growth of crabgrass and weeds, he said.
Cutting grass to a length of over two inches provide shade for roots and promotes healthy grass, he said.
“You always have a healthy, thicker yard by growing it taller. The last cut before winter can be 1 inch,” Stirling said.
