MGGA Monthly Crop Survey
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
Carter County - Michael Hansen
Feeding cows and calves in the morning and shop projects in the afternoon. Along with butchering a few steers to keep the freezer full for the next year. That has been most of January. Was extremely cold two weeks ago 67 below was the coldest reading on the weather station. Not very much likes to work at that temperature, including me, but still had to go out and get the cows fed as they were extremely hungry trying to stay warm. But as I am writing this is currently 57 above which is much more tolerable. Moisture conditions are poor, received 3 inches of snow in the last month. Plan to grow winter wheat, canola, durum, barley, hay and garbanzos. Winter wheat is in the 3 leaf stage.
Fergus County - Boyd Heilig
As most of you know, the middle of January was pretty hard on the winter wheat crop. Time will tell how much damage there will be, but there wasn’t a lot of snow cover when it reached -40 below. We have been hauling winter wheat when we get a train. Lines have been very long and it doesn’t take many days to fill the elevator. Moisture conditions are fair, received .25 in in the last month. Planning to grow winter and spring wheat, durum and barley. The winter wheat is in 3 leaf stage.
Fergus County - Robert Bold
January was quite a roller coaster ride. The above average temperatures from November and December, which we lost soil profile moisture, gave way to record breaking temperatures in January. Ambient temperatures of -43 degrees broke the old 1950 record by 2 degrees and then within 13 days broke the daily high ambient temperature for a temperature swing of 113 degrees breaking the old temperature swing of 109 degrees set in 1919 by 4 degrees. We were watching our propane tanks in the cold weather. Tank pressure dropped below 7 psi. Propane stays a liquid at negative 44 degrees. (Only the propane vapor heats houses.) Normal tank pressure is around 60 psi. After the severe multi day cold snap with very little snow cover especially on the west slopes; when the temperatures improved, the winter wheat greened up. Of course the leaf tops showed severe frost damage. But so far, so good. In February 1989 we lost 100% of our winter wheat after a 100 degree temperature swing. Only it went from near record high to near record low. By Easter we will know how well the winter wheat survived. Moisture conditions are good. Lots of snow; over a foot. It melted off at the end of the month. We have 5 inches of new snow just now. We are planning on growing winter wheat, spring wheat, and barley for the 2024 season. Our winter wheat is in the 3-leaf growth stage.
Dale Flikkema – Gallitin County
Moisture conditions are fair. Receiving .5 precipitation in the last month. Planning on growing spring wheat, lentils, canola, hemp, corn, and hay for the 2024 season. The winter wheat is in 1-leaf stage.
Judith Basin County - Greg Mathews
Snow is gone. Elevstors waiting for cars and when you get to haul it looks like harvest. Wait times any where from 30 to 150 minutes Cold weather was brutal in January negative 44. Got all malt barley hauled. Moisture conditions are fair and planning to grow spring wheat, barley and hay.
Teton County - Levi Ostberg
the season is dry with poor moisture conditions. We've received 6" of snow in the las tmonth. I plan to grow winter wheat, barley and hay. Winter wheat is in 3 leaf stage.