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Illinois harvest continues to gain momentum

The USDA says harvest in Illinois continues to gain momentum.

McLean County farmer David Mool says he got started late last week.

“Soybean yields look to be probably about where we were last year.”  He says, “I believe this will be a big harvest week for soybeans in our area.  One, they’re ready and the weather ‘s right.  Two, the corn is just plenty wet, so we’re gonna hope it dries down a little bit more.”

The latest weekly crop progress and condition report shows 21% of the corn crop is harvested, up 7% over last week, and 5% ahead of the five-year average.  Twenty four percent of the soybean crop is harvested, 9% ahead of last week, and 13% ahead of normal.  Mool tells Brownfield recent rains have been beneficial.

“There was a few guys that 10 days ago cut some pretty dry beans and so we kind of laid there for a week and it worked out great.”  He says, “Friday we were running right at 12 to 13%, which is pretty optimal for soybeans.”

Mool says his corn moistures are still in the high 20’s to low 30’s.

Eighty five percent of the state’s corn crop is mature, which is 15 percent ahead of average. 

Eighty six percent of soybeans are dropping leaves, 17% ahead of normal.

Pasture conditions are 36% rated poor to very poor, and winter wheat planting reached 11%, with 2% emerged, compared to 8% planted on average.

Forty eight percent of Illinois topsoil moistures were rated short or very short as of Sunday.