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Soybeans a priority for SC Minnesota farmer

A southcentral Minnesota farmer is focusing on soybeans because of the limited window he has to harvest them.

Lawrence Sukalski of Martin County tells Brownfield about 15 percent of his corn acres were harvested before several inches of rain fell on the area within the past two weeks.

With conditions now suitable to return to the field, he says soybeans are the priority.

“You don’t get that many days to combine soybeans.  Yesterday at one o’clock we got started because there was heavy dew and foggy, and today it’s foggy and heavy dew too.”

Sukalski says with good weather, soybean harvest could be finished by Tuesday.

“Things look pretty good.  Again, weather is everything.  We had nine inches of rain in May, only 1.8 (inches) in June and I didn’t have much hope for the crops at all.  But I think they’re definitely going to be better than the five year average.”

He credits September rains with improving yields on later corn hybrids and filling soybean pods, but says a long stretch of dry weather is what’s needed.