By Marna Taylor
Wheat harvest is well underway this week in Labette County, and local yields are reportedly lower than usual.
Perry Sorrell, CEO of Bartlett Co-op, said the wheat is in bad condition this year. The harvest only started last Friday which is rather late, so there is still a while to go. The yield is only four to five bushels per acre in some instances and goes up to the 20’s. The average would be 15 to 18 bushels per acre. The test weight is 52 to 53 which is not very good.
“Comparatively, this is a strange year,” said Sorrell. “ We have found out that we can have a disaster three years in a row in Labette County. We were under the mistaken assumption that we could grow wheat any year.”