Kingfisher County has turned the corner on the 2019 wheat harvest after a week of dry, hot days.

While fair weather allowed harvesters a decent run at getting the crop out, they continued to fight muddy fields countywide, the inheritance of an unusually wet growing season, especially in the late spring.

Grain elevator spokesmen estimated the advance of the current harvest season from “maybe 50 percent” in the Hennessey area to approaching 90 percent in the Okarche Grain and Feed vicinity.

John Schaefer, manager of Cashion Grain and Feed, said it was hard to tell how far the harvest had advanced there with one grower reporting he was done on Wednesday and another reporting he was just starting to harvest.

Despite the wet conditions that would normally reduce the quality of the crop, Schaefer reported receiving some wheat Wednesday that still weighed 60 pounds per bushel.

Randall Varnell, manager of Wheeler Brothers Grain Elevator in Kingfisher, estimated the harvest at near the 75-80 percent completed point with wheat arriving weighing from 52 to 60 pounds per bushel.

Muddy fields were still holding up harvesting what was left of the crop in the Kingfisher area.

Decent yields were still being reported locally.

CHS Elevator at Hennessey reported a steady day Wednesday as the harvest neared the halfway point. Test weights continued to range in the 57-pound range with some lower due to late rains.

CHS Elevator at Okarche neared the 80 percent complete point with weights on wheat still arriving ranging from 52 to 60 pounds per bushel.

Kristi Washington at Okarche Grain and Feed estimated the harvest in that area nearing 90 percent complete with test weights still coming in from 57 to 60 pounds per bushel.

The toughest part is for harvesters to find fields dry enough to get on.

B.J. Waeger, manager of Wheeler Brothers Elevator at Omega, estimated the harvest at 70 to 75 percent complete with some yields at the 57 bushel per acre range. Weights are still running 58 to 59 pounds as producers pick around to find fields dry enough for equipment.

Waeger predicted the harvest can be completed in 14 days, including the mud holes, depending on the weather.

The Oklahoma Wheat Commission estimated the crop was 58 percent complete statewide at midweek, thanks to the drier weather.

Combining was wrapping up in the southwest part of the state while going was slower elsewhere. Based on elevator reports the wheat commission reported that average test weights will be in the 57 to 59 pound range.

Statewide, yields have been surprisingly good.

The wheat commission provided the following reports:

Banner/El Reno-Harvest in this area continues to move slowly with yields being reported in the mid 30’s to the mid 50’s depending on variety and location. Producers are still struggling especially in the lower lying areas with being able to get over the ground. This afternoon, they are calling the region 35 percent completed. Test weights have dropped in this area ranging from 55 lbs. to 57 lbs. per bushel. Some of the earlier harvested wheat was weighing 60 lbs. per bushel in this region.

Okarche-Harvest has progressed in the region with approximately 85 to 90 percent of the crop harvested. Test weights are going to have a 57 lb. to 58 lb. per bushel average.    A lot of wheat in this region is being reported in the mid 40’s to mid 50’s, with some reports of wheat making 60 plus depending on the fields and management practices.

Hennessey—Harvest is moving forward with approximately 40 to 50 percent completed. Test weights are averaging 57 to 59 pounds per bushel, yields being reported in the low 40s to low 50s.

Bison—This area is reporting harvest to be 65-70 percent complete.

Test weights have gone down slightly, but they are hoping the area average will still be 60 pounds per bushel, based on the amount of wheat that was harvested before the rains started having an impact.

Yields have been favorable with ranges in the mid 40s to mid 50s, with several reporting yields of 60 plus, even on wheat that was lying down in the field.

Enid—Harvest in this region is reported at 50 percent complete. Test weights are being reported at 59 pounds per bushel as the average.

Yields reported in the mid 40s to mid 50s for the most part, with several yields also being reported in low 60s.

Perry/Tonkawa/Kildare — Harvest in this region has struggled to progress with approximately 15 percent of the region complete.

The test weights on early cuttings were averaging 56 pounds to 57 pounds per bushel for the most part.

We did have a report by Kildare this afternoon of a producer that cut wheat yesterday with a 60 pounds per bushel test weight.

Early yields are being reported in the high 30s to mid 40s in the lower lying areas, while upland farms are yielding in the mid 50s to mid 60s, in some locations.

Cherokee/Burlington — Harvest in this area is 50 percent complete.

Test weights in this region on wheat harvested today is ranging from 58 pounds to 62 pounds per bushel, depending on the location and variety.

Yields are being reported from the mid 40s to low 50s for the most part.

Afton/Miami — Harvest in this region has barely gotten started with only 12 percent complete, due to the untimely moisture received this past month. Test weights have been ranging all over the board from 55 pounds to 60 pounds per bushel.

Yields on early cuttings ranging from 20 to 50 bushels per acre.

Since the wheat was later to maturity in this region so far that has helped test weights from being a complete loss.

Texhoma/Guymon — While harvest started last week in the Panhandle region by Hooker, producers for the most part around Texhoma and Guymon are just getting a good start as of yesterday.

Only dryland wheat harvest has started and producers are hopeful they will start on the irrigated wheat within the next few days.

Yields on the dryland wheat being reported from 25 to 70 bushels per acre depending on the variety and location.

Test weights have been ranging from 61 to 63 pounds per bushel.

Yields and test weights being reported continue to be positive for the most part although yield losses and loss to test weights are being noted in parts of Central, North Central and Northeast Oklahoma.

No sprout damage has been reported coming across scales at elevators.

Protein reports continue to range all over the board from 9.5 to as high as 13 percent depending on location and management practices.

As of Thursday, statewide protein averages across the state are ranging from 10.5 to 11.8 percent for the most part.

It should be noted that protein numbers being reported in several locations on early harvested, wheat in the Northern part of the state, are coming in much higher than anticipated.

We have also seen locations say those numbers are trending up as harvest progresses.

It has not been uncommon to hear reports coming in at 12 to 13.5 in areas South and West of Enid.

We also have been hearing of higher proteins around the Tonkawa, Ponca City, Kildare and Blackwell regions, even though producers in this region have seen losses on test weight.

Proteins being reported in the Panhandle regions have not been as favorable on the early harvest reports, but early test are still showing a 10.6 to 11 percent average as of Thursday.