After seeing a late blizzard in much of the Dakotas and northwest Minnesota in April 2023, on top of record snowfalls during the winter, I thought the 2023 spring planting season would be seriously delayed.
The challenges continued.
Nearly all of the corn-growing states experienced some poor weather in the spring and then some had mixed rainfall totals during the growing season, topped by drought conditions during the summer.
In fact, we saw corn harvested well into December, thanks to the various weather issues.
I kept in touch with and wrote in my column about farmers throughout the season. Farmers in 2023 went through all kinds of weather-related problems but, true to their spirit, they pushed through -- many were actually surprised and pleased with their harvest results. However, there were some farmers who reported poorer yields due to the crazy planting and growing weather. They hung on through the harvest end.
A farmer from eastern North Dakota told me, "Yields were mixed depending on rain and location. North, we had great above-APH (actual production history) yields. As you moved south, we were at APH or well below. Kind of depended on rain. Quality was average."
An Indiana farmer I spoke to said, "2023 was filled with one of the more unique growing seasons we've had. Due to low humidity and low rainfall, we had corn 2 inches shorter than normal in a lot of places with the assumptions going into harvest as being down considerably. When the combines started to roll, harvest was a pleasant surprise for most."
Another farmer, from north-central Iowa, said, "In northwest Iowa, we usually have better yields when we're on the drier side over excessive moisture. All year, I felt we had good potential. I just needed those timely rains. We were blessed with the timely rains in my area, and thus, we produced a very good corn crop. Can't speak for all, because rains were very spotty hit-or-miss situations."
Some of the farmers I spoke to were former customers of mine and the elevator managers I interviewed were customers when I was a grain buyer in Minneapolis for 15 years -- many are still friends. The others are friends I have made on social media, and they are always willing to share their stories every year -- good or bad.
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Categories: Iowa, Crops, Corn, Weather