This could be a year when traditional wheat farmers may need to look for another crop.

After a dry September and October, some traditional wheat ground has not been planted; some that was dusted in before heavy November rains (9.93 inches to date plus one late October rain of 2.25 inches) on heavier soils still has not come up and the deadline for sowing for grain production is fast approaching.

On the brighter side, some wheat that was sown after an early September shower is up and flourishing. Additionally, wheat grown on lighter soils has busted out of the ground and is growing.

Some of the earlier-seeded fields have enough growth to allow livestock grazing.

Kingfisher County Extension Director- Agriculture Educator Bryan Kennedy said he saw some stocker calves “kicked out” on a field north of Dover this week.

Kennedy said there is concern among producers with fields where water is standing about the seed rotting.

Because of soggy soil conditions, producers aren’t able to get back in fields quickly to reseed areas.

Kennedy said he has heard some producers talking about sowing oats, which can be sown into February with prospects for a crop.

Kennedy said the problem with oats is that there is no heavy demand locally for the crop.

Some are considering summer crops for their usual wheat acreage.

Kennedy said the cattle market is strong, so strong, in fact, that people going into it need to understand the risk before jumping in.

He said 500 and 600-pound stocker calves are bringing in the neighborhood of $1,700 per head.

He said a group of cowcalf pairs with 200-pound calves at an area cattle market brought $3,700 to $4,000 a pair recently and bred three-and four-yearold cows were bringing $3,600 to $4,000.

He said another concern is the weather.

“We don’t need any blistering cold (while the current wheat crop is getting established),” he added.

Another round of rain Sunday night and Monday brought a total of up to two inches of moisture to the area – 1.15 inches at the 7 a.m. Monday reading and another .35 inch at Tuesday’s reading at the National Weather Service Station in Kingfisher, Local Weather Observer Steven Loftis reported.

Mesonet readings in the vicinity included the following three-day reports: Kingfisher, 1.55 inches; Watonga, 1.64 inches; El Reno, 1.78 inches; Guthrie, 1.48 inches, and Marshall, 1.21 inches.

The eastern threefourths of the normally drier Panhandle recorded heavy rainfall this week with Alva in northwest Oklahoma recording 2.19 inches and Shattuck 3.04 inches.