May 20, 2011

The 2011 HRW wheat harvest in north Texas and southwest Oklahoma grinds on after isolated scattered showers and moderating temperatures slowed cutting over the area last weekend. However, moderating temperatures are positive for areas north of where active harvesting is occurring, allowing continued kernel development.

Harvest now extends just north of Hwy 62 in Oklahoma (east/west line from Lawton to Altus). All areas of north Texas and southwest Oklahoma are reporting very good quality with yields averaging in mid to upper teens. Test weights are averaging well over 60 lbs./bushel (ranging from 59 – 64.5), but with smaller kernels than are normally seen. Protein reports have been very good ranging from the mid 12’s to over 13.5%. This crop has been extremely clean (low dockage) and is attributed to drought conditions not being favorable to the germination of weed seed. Cutting has been reported as steady in the areas outlined above, but slow as compared to “normal” years and there very few custom harvesters in these areas (meaning harvest may continue to develop slowly in these areas).

One privately owned elevator system in far southwestern Oklahoma currently reports their worst wheat year since the family business began in the 1920’s. This is an area that has reported less than 0.25” of precipitation in any 24 hour period over the last 187 days (Oklahoma Mesonet). The far western regions of the Oklahoma Panhandle also reports 237 days with less than 0.25” of precipitation in a 24 hour period and that area extends into Texas and Colorado.

Download this Harvest Summary

Harvest Summary
Tst Exp MST Pro% DKG TKW FN Grade Test Weight FM DMG S&B DEF
530
FINAL 2010
468 final 11.0 11.8 0.6 29.9 401 1HRW 61.0 80.2 0.2 0.3 1.2 1.8

View this PDF for visual test data from the 2009 harvest.