Warmer weather is a positive sign for the crops in Dallas County prior to the busy harvest time.

Dallas County Iowa State University Extension Field Agronomist Meaghan Anderson tells Raccoon Valley Radio that the warm weather is helpful in terms of getting the crops dried out before farm machinery gets into the fields. She describes that around this time of year, Dallas County grows good soybean crops, especially in 2024 with the influx of moisture.

“We’ve really had a long drawn out reproductive stage because we had rainfall during July and part of August, and we had really relatively cooler than average temperatures, and so the warm conditions that we’re having right now, these 80 degree highs and sun, and then you throw in some wind that it seems like we’re going to be getting as well. That will dry those crops out really quickly. It will make them easier to harvest.”

Anderson points out that the hotter temperatures can cause soybeans to become hardened. With the weather cooling off next week, Anderson explains the result that will have on the crops.

“That means we’re probably going to be a little slower getting started in the mornings, especially if there’s some dew out on the crop or some higher humidity out there, but it does look like things are going to rebound again.”

She looks at the longer term forecast as she concludes that the warmer than normal temperatures combined with the lack of precipitation will produce good news for the harvest season in October.