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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1988)
Farmers prepare to harvest damaged crops By James Lilias Staff Reporter With the rams and cooler tem : peratures of the last few weeks sig naling an end to the drought of 1988 and the coming of autumn, area farmers are beginning to harvest what’s left of the fruit of their labor While the drought has damaged all crops to some degree, soybeans appear to be suffering the most Harold Hummel, general manager of Wavedy’s Farmers Cooperative Co., said that much of the soybeans he’s seen are of low quality and yield “I’ve seen beans ranging from good to scmffy,” Hummel said Bill Fahleson, who farms 1,100 acres of grain sorghum, soybeans and wheat in rural Waverly, said he agrees He said he hasn’t cut any beans yet, but that he expects his soybeans to be two to three times smaller than they would be in a normal growing season Jerry Minchow farms650 acresol soybeans, milo and wheat in rural Davy He said that his beans had also taken a blow from the heat. “Soybeans are not a hot weather crop,'1 Minchow said. Minchow said that since he knows that this year’s crops are hurt badly, he hopes the rains of the last week will continue into early Octo ber, even though it would slow down the harvest. “I’m just worried about having enough moisture for next year," Mm chow said. Harold Anderson and his son Ron farm just over 2,000 acres of wheat, beans and irrigated and dryland com outside of Waveriy Harold Anderson said his beans were a disappointment but he also hopes last week’s rains will con tinue to help the immature beans develop a little more before he harv ests them “A good rain is going to help full seeding,” Anderson said But soybeans weren’t the only crops to suffer, Anderson said “Even our irrigated com won’t be 100 percent Hot wands hurt our irrigation capabilities." Fahleson said that while his miJo did better than his beans, the milo has weak stocks “Sut weeks ago I didn’t think we’d get anything,” Fahleson said “What we did get was a gift ’ M inchow said he expects his sorghum to be below average, loo. Even so, Hummel said mat the milo he’s seen did well, but there’s nol enough of it harv ested 10 deter mine whether it will yield as w ell as it looks Hummel said that wheat harvested in June and July did well overall. Fahleson, Anderson and Minchow agreed that the wheat harv ested had high yields for die most part. In a few weeks, the memories of this summer’s drought will be re placed by womes for die next year. One of those concerns is already upon these area farmers’ minds. Hummel said these farmers will need “a lot more moisture than what we’ve got" this winter to make up for the lack of it on soil and subsoil this summer. “We need a good cover of snow,” Hummel said. . i ■ u. t ..mwwi i LOOKING FOR BEAUTY & CONFIDENCE? “ELECTROLYSIS” Permanent removal of unwanted hair. Free Consulation DOLLIE HANSEN ELECTROLOG 1ST 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE EAST ‘O’ SALON 56th & ’O’ Ph. 489-6531 STUDENT AID! For students. Freshman thru Graduate levels. FirsTier Bank Lincoln can meet your credit needs with three attractive Student Loan Programs: GSL — Guaranteed Student Loan PLUS — Parent Loan Program SLS — Supplementary Loan for Students Take advantage of our quick processing ai iu fast turnaround. Apply today—downtown at 13th & M Street. Or phone 471 -1527 for more information FirsTier Bank Lincoln David Fahlcaon/ Dally Ncl»ra«k«n David Fahleson/ Dally Nebraskan C lockwise from top: Custom harvester Albert Rahn of Lincoln unloads mllo from nls combine north of Waverly. The drought of 1988 is producing soybean pods with only two developed beans. Charcoal rotted mllo stalks, compared to normal stalks on the left, are causing farmers to hope the severe weather holds off until the crops are harvested. The rotted stalks are weak and will go down in severe weather making harvesting difficult, if not impossible.