On the Farm - Fall 2024

Harvest Advances as Growing Season Winds Down

By Daniel Grant
Farmweek

A cold front could technically bring an end to the growing season in parts of northern Illinois this week, but it's not expected to slow harvest much.

Farmers harvested 62% of soybeans and 49% of corn as of Oct. 14 statewide, which was 15 and 5 points ahead of the average pace, respectively.

No measurable rainfall in most areas and a statewide average temperature of 61.2 degrees (5.5 degrees above normal) provided an average of 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork Oct. 7-14, the National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois field office reported.

"The warm, dry weather has really pushed harvest along," said Joel Barickman, a FarmWeek CropWatcher from Livingston County. "Many of us are done with beans and corn is coming out quickly."

Illinois farmers also planted 33% of the winter wheat crop as of Oct. 14, which was 6 points behind the average pace.

A cold front moved into the state to start the week, though, with low temperatures predicted to plummet to just 29-35 degrees. Many portions of the northern half of Illinois were in a frost advisory or freeze warning Oct. 15-16, the National Weather Service reported. If realized, the freeze would mark some of the lowest temperatures in the state since April and effectively end the growing season in some areas.

"Amazing what gets accomplished in a week. Fields disappearing faster than you can blink," said Brent Clair, a CropWatcher from Adams County. "Great weather. Looking forward to the cold spell."

The recent front brought very limited amounts of precipitation. Topsoil moisture ranked 58% short to very short and 42% adequate statewide as of Oct. 13, which subsequently placed most of the entire northern two-thirds of Illinois in abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.