By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Like any other year, farmers in Kansas had to deal with wild swings in temperatures, both continued drought and wet fields but, once again, they found a way to pack bins and elevators across the state.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 95 percent of the wheat harvest has been cut and agriculture experts in the area say farmers in Ellis and Trego counties are all but done with this year’s harvest.

The 2014 winter wheat harvest is finally coming to a close across the state of Kansas and in Ellis and Trego counties it is no different than most.

Bob Redger, general manager of Golden Belt Co-op of Ellis and Riga, said harvest in the area has been done for about a week but some farmers are still finishing up terrace channels and some wet areas.

Farmers in Trego County were also dealing with some wet and muddy areas, according to Ethan Lamont of Cargill in WaKeeney.

Lamont said the rains in the middle of June kept some out of the field.

“We kind of geared up for one weekend and then we were kind of slowed down,” he said.

Lamont said this year’s wheat harvest was spotty across Trego County.

He estimated the average bushel per acre was in the upper 20s to 30.

“It wasn’t horrible, there was some bad spots and there was some good spots, just pretty spotty this year,” Lamont said.

Redger said in Ellis County the yields ranged all over. He said they saw yields of zero to 20 to 25.

At the Golden Belt Co-op locations in Ellis and Riga, Redger said they took in about 30 percent of the normal crop.

He said the test weights averaged about 58.5 with fairly good protein levels.

But both Lamont and Redger said the moisture was a welcome site for fall crops.

Redger said there were farmers in the area planting before the rains and some of those who planted milo after the rains will have two harvests.

Redger added “It’s looking up, so far.”