Air June 25, 2003

Thank you Gary, and good morning everyone. We're definitely into wheat harvest weather, well with the exception of those humidities, but that should get better by the end of the week. With this heat and humidity, which should start getting a little bit better today and much better once that front moves through, we really need to watch our own well being. The heat and humidity can be a real killer. Drink lots of water, move just a little bit slower and take a few more breaks. If you're in an air conditioned cab or truck that's a good break, but otherwise keep an eye on yourself and everyone else.

As we start to get the wheat harvested we need to start thinking about what we are going to do with that field between now and the next crop. If you are planting wheat you are probably going to be concerned about the amount of cheat that was around this year. Well, I think you already now that the best answer to that is rotation. Even just a year out of wheat will make a lot of difference. Burning the stubble is not an effective control of cheat. About 90% of the seed survives a fire intact. If you are going back to wheat, look to see if you have any perennial weed problems like field bindweed or johnsongrass or even tree seedlings. If so, leave the field untilled and treat the problems. You need plants with lots of leaf area when dealing with these perennials. If you are rotating out to beans or milo and so won't be planting until next year, don't worry about a few weeds that come along. In fact many of the weeds like foxtail, sunflower and pigweed actually provide a lot of food for things like quail. It may look a little untidy to have those weeds growing, but it may be better for the wildlife in the long run. Again, if you have perennial weed problems, the next 2 months will be a good time to get those controlled. And I'll finish with a request to all the non-farm listeners - please allow extra room and time on the roadway if you encounter vehicles involved in harvest. Those vehicles are large and often carry a lot of weight. They don't accelerate, turn or stop as quick as your passenger car. Please be patient as the wheat crop that these farmers are bringing in may represent over 50% of their annual income. They don't need any more stress right now! Thank you for your understanding!

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook 2003.

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