Production Blog

DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- The idiom "when it rains it pours" may have originated with a Morton salt commercial, but Zachary Grossman has now experienced it firsthand.

Rainfall totals on his northwest Missouri farm amounted from 10 to nearly 12 inches during the past two weeks. "I don't even know if I've added it all up right as there's been so much. That's saying something after living drop-to-drop most of the summer," said Grossman.

"Not only have the crops responded, but it looks like we're going to have enough grass to carry the cattle through fall and may go into winter with a hay surplus. It's just crazy how everything has turned around," he added. Heat and drought have no doubt taken some toll on row crops, but yield checks have left Grossman more optimistic about them as well.

Grossman, who lives near Tina, is participating in DTN's View From the Cab project, a regular feature that covers crop conditions and other rural issues throughout the 2023 growing season.

Also reporting in this year are Chandra and Mike Langseth, who farm in southeastern North Dakota near Barney.

DTN visited with the View From the Cab farmers about current crop conditions for an upcoming free Ag Summit Series event on Aug. 15. Tune in to hear the farmers cover past and current growing conditions and give their assessment of yield potential as of early August. During the webinar, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger will be joined by researchers from Gro Intelligence to dig deeper in the data behind DTN's Digital Yield Tour. Also included will be segments from DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick on the long-range weather forecast and by DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman on the outlook for the grain markets. The webinar will be recorded, but you must register to access the recording here: www.dtn.com/agsummit.

This week View From the Cab goes right to the field. Readers can listen in as DTN crops editor Jason Jenkins visits with Grossman about crop conditions. Go to https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Meanwhile, Baranick said the recent stretch of weather that has benefited both of these farms this week will continue into the coming week.

"In Barney, North Dakota, it looks like a good chance for rain on Sunday. A couple of fronts will go by on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Models don't have a lot of precipitation with them in North Dakota, but we could see a couple little cells squeak out some brief, spotty amounts. Temperatures will continue to be quite enjoyable with daytime highs in the 70s to lower 80s and overnight lows in the 50s," said Baranick.

He said Tina, Missouri should be a few degrees warmer, but still comfortable most of the week with temperatures in the upper 70s to middle 80s Fahrenheit by the end of the week.

"We could see that system on Sunday into Monday produce some thunderstorms, but the couple of fronts that go through North Dakota are expected to be mostly dry as they go through northern Missouri. That could change, but it's not in the forecast," he said.

Baranick added that both areas could see a change in the weather pattern the week of Aug. 20. "Heat is expected to work its way northward and push the storm track toward the Canadian border. That would leave Tina in some hotter and drier conditions to end the month, while we could see more variable temperatures and precipitation across southeast North Dakota. That could mean better chances of precipitation in the Barney area, and higher amounts if the forecast pans out," he added.

While rain has brought welcome relief and opportunity for crops to continue to fill and reach remaining potential, it brings up other thoughts for Grossman. "I've already started to see some weeds peak through after our fields have been so clean. I've been watching for tar spot and have begun to wonder about white mold in soybeans.

"I've even heard some worry about what happens this fall if the rain keeps coming. It's always something when it comes to weather," he said.

Read more about how View From the Cab farmers look at yield potential for this crop: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Find the reporting from DTN's Digital Yield Tour and a video spotlighting Grossman and other farmers here: https://spotlights.dtnpf.com/….

Pamela Smith can be reached at pamela.smith@dtn.com

Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PamSmithDTN

(c) Copyright 2023 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.