VARIABILITY: If there was a theme to this year’s Wheat Quality Council Hard Winter Wheat Tour, May 13-16, it was variability: Variability of the crop within fields, and across the state, due to drought, freeze damage and other stressors.

DAY 1: Doug Keesling, Chase, Kan., farms along the Black route of the Wheat Tour. He shared this field outside of Lyons, Kan., that saw the effects of frost damage from an event this spring, as well as drought damage from the lack of spring rains. Keesling shares his crop report at 2024 Wheat Tour: Rice County, Kansas (farmprogress.com)

UNEVEN STANDS: Wheat Tour participants saw many examples of uneven stands of wheat across the state, but especially in areas hit hardest by drought. This field of Doug Keesling’s, just outside of Lyons, shows the variation in the crop from drought and spring freeze.

AVERAGE YEAR: Jess and Laryce Schwieterman, Syracuse, Kan., farm along the Wheat Tour’s Blue Route, in the far west part of the state. The Schwietermans also shared how weather has affected wheat in their county and how they try to give the crop a good start no matter what Mother Nature might bring, #WheatTour24 Day 2 shows effects of rain (farmprogress.com).

HAIL DAMAGE: Some wheat fields in the Colby, Kan., area showed hail damage from recent spring storms.

STRIPE RUST: Jeanne Falk Jones, multi-county specialist at the Kansas State University Northwest Research and Extension Center, Colby, Kan., says farmers in the northwest part of the state are starting to see stripe rust popping up in their fields. With harvest bearing down on farmers, some are trying to decide — Should they spray or should they let it go? Hear what Jones has to say about the crop at: #WheatTour24: Stripe rust starting to pop in northwest fields (farmprogress.com).

RAIN CLOUDS: Rain clouds form over Jeanne Falk Jones’ shoulder as she checks this wheat plot at the K-State Northwest Research and Extension Center, Colby, May 14.

LATE RUST: Stripe rust this late in the season is a tough call for farmers, Jeanne Falk Jones says.  

WHEAT STREAK MOSAIC: For the most part, northwestern Kansas farmers haven’t had much wheat streak mosaic in their fields. What infection is out there is sporadic and has come on late.

RAIN ARRIVES; Rain showers and some storms crossed Kansas during the Wheat Tour. Lon Frahm Farms, Colby, Kan., hosted the tour participants for their evening meal on the first day of the tour.

HARVEST SOON: Tim Turek, Caldwell, Kan., farms on the southern border of the state right along the Yellow Route. He estimates combines in his area may roll by Memorial Day this year. All over the state, the wheat crop is a week to 10 days ahead of schedule. Hear his thoughts at #WheatTour24, Day 2, Caldwell, Kan. (farmprogress.com).

HARVEST SOON: Tim Turek, Caldwell, Kan., farms on the southern border of the state right along the Yellow Route. He estimates combines in his area may roll by Memorial Day this year. All over the state, the wheat crop is a week to 10 days ahead of schedule. Hear his thoughts at #WheatTour24, Day 2, Caldwell, Kan. (farmprogress.com).