US custom harvester Paul Paplow of Paplow Harvesting provided an update on his operations, indicating his crews are spread across multiple states. Currently, Paul himself is in Pratt, Kansas, with other machines located in Tribune, Kansas, and Harrington, Texas. Three additional machines are en route to Tribune, having just finished harvesting in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Visiting with Farm Director, KC Sheperd, Paplow noted they are “just trying to dodge some rain showers in Kansas” with the goal of getting “back on schedule” by early next week. He was relieved to report that his crews in Kingfisher managed to finish “about 45 minutes to an hour before it started raining there,” finally catching “a little bit of luck on their side” after struggling with weather for six years in that area.
When asked about the primary factor impacting the wheat crop this season, Paul suggested that “it’s probably more of a wet weather” issue than an early drought. While most areas, excluding Texas, saw good initial crop development, the prolonged wet conditions have “really hurt the quality of the wheat a lot.” Looking ahead, Paplow himself will move from Pratt to Tribune, then continue harvesting north through Colby, Kansas, Brewster, Kansas, and ultimately Ogallala, Nebraska.
Regarding conditions in other areas, Paul mentioned that while most regions have been “a little bit on the wet side,” his father in Tribune, Kansas, reported “nice and dry out there” with “really good for cutting” conditions. However, the test weights in Tribune are “pretty low,” indicating poor wheat quality, which Paplow attributed more to drought conditions. In terms of yields, Paplow reported a range of “anywhere from about 45 up to 65” bushels per acre in Pratt, Kansas, though protein levels aren’t checked there. In Kingfisher, yields varied widely, from “about 15 up to 55-60,” with some “really good wheat” and some “pretty poor stuff.”
Despite the recent weather challenges, Paul believes they are “right on schedule” compared to the ten-year average for this time of year. He acknowledged that due to recent “hot, windy weather,” they are “probably a little bit behind where we should be at this point” in terms of overall progress.
