By Tom Skilling
The northern Illinois corn harvest is underway -- and it's only Sept 10!!
That is way early and a testament to this year's good growing season weather. Many were still harvesting last year's crop on Christmas -- as late as a harvest has ever happened here.
John Hazzard, who farms in the Wilmington area in Will County, tells me yields have been as high as 200 bushels per acre -- which is very good!
Hazzard sent us this photo he said was taken two miles south of Wilmington showing a combine loading corn with Merl Osbourn inside.
Osbourn. Hazzard relates, "farms 2,600 acres with corn and soybeans. The field he is working on was planted April 15th, the corn was coming out at 14.5% moisture, yield was very good also.
"I have talked to workers at the Richie Grain elevator south of Wilmington ... some fields were coming in at 200 bushels per acre! The crops have matured way ahead of schedule due to the fantastic weather we had this past growing season, plenty of moisture and heat units have resulted in this corn crop maturing earlier than normal and yielding above average for us. As of now it looks as if the farmers around here will be done harvesting way ahead of Christmas unlike last year!"
