16 February 2023
LOGAN COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — Moisture is hitting western Kansas Wednesday, and for farmers, every little bit helps.
Curt Dirks farms wheat and corn in Logan county. He says the recent drought has made things hard.
“You’re planning on raising a crop and selling it, and if you don’t have it, then it just makes things tough,” Dirks said.
He says overall, his wheat harvest this year doesn’t look great.
“It’s been a struggle,” Dirks said. “I got some wheat that never even emerged. Some spotty stands and some that looks OK, nothing looks exceptional this year.”
He expects Wednesday’s moisture to impact some of his wheat crop.
“I think the stuff that came up, it should help it,” Dirks said. “The stuff that didn’t come up, I’m thinking it’s too late to do any good for it.”
Agriculture expert John Jenkinson agrees, saying an abundant wheat crop won’t happen, but it will be beneficial.
“This moisture will help, yes,” Jenkinson said. “Will it save this wheat crop? Possibly. Will it make it a bumper crop? Not at all.”
He says the hope is in the fall harvest.
“This will certainly help the fall crop, the planting and the preparation for next year’s fall crop of soybeans and corn and milo as well,” Jenkinson said.
Dirks says the moisture is a positive for his corn.
“We were so dry,” Dirks said. “The subsoil has pretty well been depleted. So, it’s a good start, but we need definitely need more.”
Jenkinson says while the moisture is a positive for crop producers, the storm brings challenges to livestock producers. He says this weather can be deadly for cattle and a lot of hard work for the cattle producers.