2024 Wheat Harvest... And we are off, sort of...
The 2024 wheat harvest began on July 18 and ended on July 18, or at least temporarily. After cutting ten acres, a storm system moved in from the southwest and covered the area with a good round of rainfall. While good for spring crops and pasture, it is not ideal for ripe wheat.
This harvest will be interesting, as we have had a tale of two seasons. Last fall, northcentral Kansas was very dry. I would estimate only 80% of our wheat germinated, with the remaining 20% emerging in the spring of 2024. Mid- March this crop looked bleak. However, this spring we have had decent rains. Is it enough to deliver a decent crop? Again, we will have to wait to find out.
Finally, the Kansas City Wheat Market looks more like a yo-yo, with markets racing up a dollar and then turning around and dropping about the same amount. I miss the day when wheat moved 2-5 cents. Now, markets seem to react to about ANY news source or trivial bit of news. Exhausting!