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Dry weather helps harvest season progress

Last week’s weather was cooperative for farmers, with dry fields and cooler temperatures creating a great window for the harvesting process.
Last week’s weather was cooperative for farmers, with dry fields and cooler temperatures creating a great window for the harvesting process.

Harvest season is well underway, with the latest USDA Crop Progress Report showing 21 percent of Indiana’s corn for grain and 33 percent of the state’s soybeans have been harvested. 

Last week’s weather was cooperative for farmers, with dry fields and cooler temperatures creating a great window for the harvesting process. 

Dennis Carnahan, a farmer near Vincennes, said that despite a worrying spat of dry weather in the summer, his farm had a record year for soybean yields. 

“We finished with our early planted soybeans on Tuesday, those finished with a record yield,” he said. “We're very grateful for that and very pleased.” 

Carnahan has now turned his attention to harvesting his corn crops, which he estimates is 40 percent complete. 

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 89 percent of Indiana is under a moderate drought. Dry weather is helpful this time of year, but only for a little while; some farmers, such as Carnahan, are looking for rain to help their other crops along. 

“We already have our 2024 wheat crop in the ground, most of its emerged now,” he said. “We're praying for rain, that that will come and help that to thrive.” 

Throughout the U.S., 34 percent of corn and 43 percent of soybeans have been harvested. 

Read more:  The Farm Bill expired Sept. 30, here's what that means

Clayton Baumgarth is a multimedia journalist for Indiana Public Media. He gathers stories from the rural areas surrounding Bloomington. Clayton was born and raised in central Missouri, and graduated college with a degree in Multimedia Production/Journalism from Drury University.