Frost a big concern for crops heading into harvest

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Joe Wiltse would prefer not to harvest anything while working in a cold rain.

But for the last few days, Wiltse and a number of his family members have worked in the rain and mud to bring in the year's last harvest of fruits and vegetables from their fields near Maple Park.

"As soon as the (weather) forecast called for frost, we really didn't have a choice," Wiltse said. "We knew we had to get the produce in and get it covered, and hope."

While Wiltse is focused, for now, primarily on his tomatoes and other types of produce, the threat of a fairly early frost has other farmers and others involved in agriculture in Kane County concerned about the damage that could fall upon the area's main field crops in the days leading up to harvest.

Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its most recent forecast for the 2009 fall harvest.

Overall, the USDA expects the harvest of corn and soybeans to be very good, if not record-breaking, in many parts of the country.

In Illinois, the USDA has forecasted that corn and soybean production would be down slightly from last year. And, locally, crop yields also will likely be down slightly from last year, local growers and observers said.

And, they said, the quality of some of the crop may not be up to last year's grade.

Scott Meyer, a grain merchandiser with agronomy services company Elburn Cooperative, said cool, wet weather throughout the growing season hampered development of this year's crop of both corn and soybeans.

He said about half of the local corn crop is not mature enough to be harvested. And that, he said, has caused "extreme concern" about damage freezing temperatures might inflict on the crops.

"Our trade area is one of the largest areas in the country that is concerned about frost," Meyer said. "We are crossing our fingers that it doesn't get too cold."

Steve Ruh, who farms near Sugar Grove, said he does not expect to begin harvesting corn until early November. And he said he also expects some damage to his corn crop as a result of frost.

"This isn't really an early frost," Ruh said. "But we could've done better if it hadn't caught us right now."

Already, farmers locally are dealing with the likelihood of needing to mechanically dry their corn, which will add considerably to their cost and diminish their profit.

And frost-damaged corn will only make the situation worse, Meyer said.

Wiltse said he plans to begin harvesting his corn and soybeans as soon as the weather dries up.

"But, to be honest, I haven't even really thought about that yet," Wiltse said. "Right now, I'm focused on other things."