Some wheat crops ready but too wet

Early predictions indicated wheat harvest could have begun this week but Mother Nature had other ideas, dumping nearly two inches of rain Monday and Tuesday in parts of Marion County.

According to Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro Grain Coordinator Dick Tippin, on Tuesday, the Marion County wheat harvest should begin early next week.

It should be an average harvest of about 35 to 40 bushels per acre with a bumper crop of 60 bushels per acre.

Currently, the market price for wheat is $3.42 an acre.

Marion County Extension Agent Ricky Roberts said wheat could have been cut this week but rain halted harvesting. He also anticipates cutting to begin by next week but doesn’t see any bumper crops this year.

“This will be an average crop this year,” Roberts said. “Compared to the past couple of years, it won’t be as good as it was.”