Staff writer
As corn harvest wraps up, some farmers have begun harvesting soybeans and milo.
Grain coordinator Dick Tippin said Cooperative Grain and Supply has taken on about 20 percent of the plant milo and approximately 10 percent of soybeans at elevators in Marion, Hillsboro, and Canton.
“It should be another good year for soybeans and milo,” he said. “But harvest will probably run through mid November.”
Phil Timken, location manager for Mid-Kansas Coop Association, said about 20 percent of soybeans have been harvested around Peabody so far.
“Some of the early beans were hurt by hot, dry wind,” Timken said. “Some of the beans were smaller. We’re hoping that the later beans will be little better size-wise.”
He said milo looked fantastic, but noted some farmers had experienced sugarcane aphids in milo crops.
“A lot of guys sprayed twice, those aphids leave a sticky residue on milo leaves that can plug up combines, and make the sieves not work properly,” Timken said.
Tippin also mentioned farmers have a few problems with sugarcane aphids.
“Aphids didn’t really affect the grain,” Tippin said. “It’s more of a headache. They make sticky mess that gummed up some guys’ combines.”
Stan Utting, general manager with Agro Producers, did not mention any problems with sugarcane aphids in the northern parts of the county.
He said less than 25 percent of soybeans and milo had been harvested as of Thursday.
Timken noted that fall harvest could be longer than usual this year. He said moisture during the summer delayed some farmers from planting milo.
“Usually harvest is done by the end of October,” Timken said, “but rain caused some people to plant late. Harvest could last to who-knows-when in November.”