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Southwest KS farmer gives up on winter wheat

Gary Millershaski from Lakin, Kansas says he’s giving up on more than half of his winter wheat. He tells Brownfield there hasn’t been more than six inches of rain in over a year and high winds with desert-like conditions have caused fields to erode. 

“You’ll see kernels of wheat seed laying on the top of the ground. Some have germinated and died and others tried to do more,” says Millershaski. “I’m going to be 60 years old this year and I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”

Millershaski says if the crop insurance adjuster zeroes out the winter wheat in the next week, a cover crop will be planted to provide residue for the ground.

“Economics are telling us we may be able to try a bin-run milo. We’ll only get 65 to 70% germination, but it doesn’t cost as much as other cover crops.”

He says there’s no significant rain in the forecast for the next 10 days. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows half of Kansas in extreme or exceptional drought.

Photo credit: Gary Millershaski