Surprise. Surprise. Surprise.

The 2019 wheat harvest is under way throughout Kingfisher County and the early results are encouraging.

After weeks of flooding and sodden fields, harvest is off for the races and early yields and test weights are better than expected.

Producers and elevators continue to watch the weather forecasts closely, especially one that predicts more rain over the weekend.

Although there were concerns over quality, test weights have been pushing No. 1 quality (from the high 50s to over 60 pounds per bushel).

Morning dew has forced producers to start harvesting later than they would like, beginning in the mid-afternoon rather than the morning hours in order to bring in wheat that is dry enough to store.

Elevators like for wheat to be in the 11 percent moisture range.

Some bumper yields have been recorded – in the 70 bushel per acre range – although the harvest is not far enough advanced yet to get an accurate reading for most of the acreage.

Some fields, especially on bottom lands along rivers and streams, are still flooded.

Some fields show pockets of flood damage due to standing water.

Later maturing varieties have ripened so that wheat is all ready for the harvesters when they can get into the fields.

Mike Rosen of Wheeler Brothers Grain Elevator in Kingfisher said this year’s harvest is reminiscent of the 2007 harvest when the last load didn’t arrive until Aug. 19.

Harvest started that year on May 28 but then the rains began and the harvest dragged on through July and part of August.

Wheat began arriving on June 3 at Wheeler Brothers in Kingfisher but Randall Varnell said rain shut it down and harvesting has been slow.

Cashion Grain and Feed Manager John Schaefer said wheat began to arrive there on Tuesday – a little over 12,000 bushels. Test weights ranged from 57 to 62.5 pounds per bushel.

Okarche Grain and Feed got off to a start last week, receiving 19,000 bushels on the first day.

High humidity is holding combines out of the fields until the afternoon.

However wheat has been weighing from 58 to 61.9 pounds per bushel.

Kristi Washington at Okarche Grain and Feed said one test load had already arrived there Thursday morning, but it tested 16 percent moisture, too damp to store. The producer expected to get back in the fields about 3 p.m.

“We’re hoping for a good day today and maybe tomorrow, if the rain holds off,” Washington said.

CHS Elevator at Hennessey reported both canola and wheat had been delivered there, the first canola arriving last week. Quality was reported high for both crops with wheat weights running from the high 50s to low 60s. A spokesperson said that protein registered at 11 percent – good for the amount of moisture on the grain.

Jason Kroener, manager of CHS, reported good yields with wheat weights ranging from 56 to 63 pounds per bushel.

He said it was too still too early to give an accurate reading on yields.

Rosen reported one yield of 75.6 bushels per acre on wheat arriving at Wheeler Brothers in Kingfisher.

Another report came from a producer who pulled cattle off wheat on April 1 due to high forage production and harvested 35 bushels per acre from the field he didn’t pasture out.

Rosen said all area wheat was ready to harvest at the same time this year.

He predicted there could be an average yield of close to 43 bushels per acre.

B.J Waeger at Wheeler Brothers Elevator at Omega said harvest had started there with yields and weights above average.

“Test weights are holding about 60 (pounds per bushel),” Waeger said.

Dewy mornings are holding harvesters out of fields until around 2-3 p.m. in the Omega community.