With this summer’s drought harvest came early to Dawson County and of course here at Hof Batie. We already have 80 acres of corn combined that went to a local feedlot as high moisture corn. We haven’t done much high moisture corn in recent years, but a late season hailstorm three weeks ago forced our hand.

Rather than risk the ears dropping in another one of this year’s infamous windy days when our custom combine crew found a free day they came and whacked it out. It is now safely in the feedlot’s bunker.

Last Monday our son-in-law came and helped pick up half of our irrigation pipe and Saturday two local FFA members purchased on their fundraising labor auction came and helped pick up the rest. With the pipe picked up that clears the way for blading down pipe ridges and disking ends to make a better path for the combine, tractor and grain cart and semis that come to haul away the grain.

This morning’s phone conversations with the custom crew chief detailed where they will go next, and it appears two to three soybean fields will be harvested this week. The rest of our soybean fields are five to six days away from being ready, but with breezy days and low humidity in the forecast, who knows? They might turn quicker than we anticipate so there will be some serious moisture testing going on as we move forward.

Our corn is also drying down fast, so we’ll see when the remainder can be combined in the rotations between beans and corn. Yields will be lower this year, even on irrigated land, as pivots just couldn’t keep up with the constant heat and no breaks with rain.

By the end of the summer gravity irrigated fields were also showing the stress of a dry summer. In some places the water never made it to the bottom of the field. This particularly showed up in our soybeans where there are strips that stayed green, while others prematurely turned yellow and dropped leaves.

This will be an uneasy harvest since things are so tinder dry. Field fires are a real threat, and we hope that every truck, tractor and combine has fire extinguishers at the ready. If there isn’t one at the ready, get one! The cost of one fire extinguisher is a pittance compared to the loss of a combine or field or fields of grain.

It wouldn’t hurt to have a disk ready to roll at a moment’s notice either. This saved us two years ago when an electric short in a pasture well started a fire in a corn field north of our house. Thanks to an alert passerby we were able to get to the fire quickly and only lost an acre of corn.

Finally, here is my annual plea to be alert when traveling our county roads this harvest season. You may need to wait a few minutes while a semi is loaded, or you may have to slow down to follow a combine or tractor and grain cart as they switch fields. Don’t get impatient and try to pass as these large pieces of equipment will totally block your view of oncoming traffic. Rest assured they will pull over when they safely can and allow you to be on your way.

Watch unmarked intersections. Until the corn is harvested there often isn’t a clear view of oncoming traffic. I speak from personal experience in not slowing down soon enough and fast enough. An oncoming vehicle, particularly a loaded semi, can’t stop on a dime and you will lose the battle.

Enjoy this annual rite of passage for the farming community by being cautious and aware of your surroundings and allow ALL of us to join in a heartfelt Thanksgiving.