Hot, dry winds since the early May rainfall has created new problems on the 2022 wheat crop in Kingfisher County.

Kingfisher County Extension Director/Agriculture Educator Bryan Kennedy said Monday that some fields are beginning to burn as the grain matures.

He expressed doubt that rain at this point would make a major difference to the crop.

Kennedy said the lightning and thunderstorms that appeared over northern sections of the county late Saturday evening failed to produce more than enough rain to settle the dust.

The dry conditions have created additional concerns about planting summer crops.

High prices for fuel, fertilizer, insecticides and other crop needs have producers pondering their options.

This year’s small grain crops have been hit by numerous problems, starting with late sowing dates due to fields that were too wet for planting in the early fall.

Much of western Oklahoma missed the May rains that appeared to arrive in the nick of time to avoid a crop failure for many in Kingfisher County.

The crop status further west in the state is worse than here.

“We might have been okay if daytime highs had stayed in the 70s and 80s range, but then we got a string of 90-degree-plus highs along with strong winds that reduced prospects again.” Kennedy said.

“There is a lot of uncertainty; it’s a challenging deal,” Kennedy said.

While grain fields are changing color quickly now in the rush toward harvest, the actual start of the harvest is dependent on weather conditions during the last half of May.

The price for wheat continued to climb with prospects for a short crop in America and worldwide. It closed at $12.82 Monday, up from $12.00 a bushel last Thursday.