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Limited window for combining soybeans

An extension agronomist says farmers deal with limited opportunities to combine soybeans compared to other crops.

Seth Naeve with the University of Minnesota tells Brownfield variable conditions can complicate harvest.

“These subtleties in the weather that we don’t always think about for other (crops):  cloudy weather, whether we have dew (depending on) if it’s windy or clear at night; makes a big impact on how late guys can go (harvesting soybeans) at night and how early they can get going again the next day.”

Dampness in soybean fields makes cutting more difficult, slowing progress and potentially reducing yield.

Naeve says frequent rains in Minnesota this fall have added to the moisture profile.

“We’ve got humidity right at ground level and it just seems like the bean stems are a little bit tougher, even when the beans are dry.  But beyond all the mud and getting machines in the field, it’s problematic just getting the beans harvested.”

Soybean harvest remains behind the five year average in Minnesota, and Naeve says yield reports vary widely across the state.