Several weeks of hot, dry weather are putting the finishing touches on a growing season filled with weather extremes. Despite the adversity, farmers posting Feedback From The Field last week said crops improved though their yield estimates are still much below USDA’s Sept. 12 projections.

Variability is the hallmark of this year’s crops both from field to field and even within the same field. Comments from Iowa showed the range.

“Corn yield will be all over the board,” said a grower south of Sioux City, Iowa, who estimated corn at 145 and soybeans at 46. “We have some corn that will be near zero. Most of our corn will be close to a crop insurance claim because of this. Some beans have taken advantage of late rains but are still very green and way behind schedule.”

Yet another Iowa grower in southwest Iowa was optimistic. “First 50 acres of soybeans went across the scale at 75 bushels per acres, 13 bushels above APH,” said the producer, who put corn yields at 208 bpa.

Crops were looking good in east central Iowa as well. “Yield is better than we expected considering lack of water in August,” noted a farmer north of Cedar Rapids who estimated corn yields at 225 bpa and soybeans at 68 bpa.

Growers in the eastern Midwest continue to report problems as a wet spring turned dry and a cold August gave way to unusual September heat.

“I don't know if our bean head will be able to harvest all of our beans,” posted a producer in central Indiana. “Some of the beans are so short, I don't think the head will pull them in.”

“Crop looked good but you run the combine in and yield is not there,” added a Hoosier from the northern end of the state.

Click this Feedback From The Field link to rate crops in your area and provide yield estimates in your fields. We’ll update reports with the interactive map below that lets you see what other growers are saying around the country. Click the box in the upper left-hand corner to bring up the weekly index; scroll down to see the most current week.

Follow season progress by clicking on the links below.

Feedback from the field - April 24, 2017 - Growers report slow start in northwest Corn Belt.

Feedback from the Field - April 28, 2017 - ‘Baby it’s cold outside’ isn’t the song farmers want to hear.

Feedback from the Field - May 8, 2017 - Emergence sputters as planting slows

Feedback from the Field - May 12, 2017 - Farms make progress but weather still an issue

Feedback from the Field - May 17, 2017 - Growers wary of this week’s new storms

Feedback from the Field - May 19, 2017 - Farmers face cold, wet end to May

Feedback from the Field - May 23, 2017 - Planting proceeds, questions remain

Feedback from the Field - May 26, 2017 - Some growers wonder if it will ever stop raining

Feedback from the Field - June 5, 2017 - Emerging drought threatens spring wheat crop

Feedback from the Field - June 7, 2017 - Progress, problems noted in early growing season

Feedback from the Field - June 12, 2017 - Conditions turned hot and dry last week

Feedback from the Field - June 19, 2017 - Rains improve conditions, but challenges remain

Feedback from the Field - June 26, 2017 - Crops improve but remain below average in year of extremes

Feedback from the Field - July 3, 2017 - Farmers report dire conditions on the northern Plains

Feedback from the Field - July 10, 2017 - Growers still say conditions are below USDA’s crop ratings

Feedback From The Field - July 17, 2017 - Too much or too little: No Goldilocks moment for U.S. crops

Feedback from the Field - July 31, 2017 - Growers say crops still suffering despite rain and cooler temperatures

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 7, 2017 - Growers note small improvement overall in corn and soybeans last week

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 14, 2017 - Crops improve but growers say yields are below USDA forecast

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 21, 2017 - Rain still crucial as growing season winds down

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 28, 2017 - Mild weather improves crops though problem pockets persist

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 5, 2017 - Growers report lower corn and soybean yields than USDA forecasts

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 11, 2017 - Yields look decent but lagging development raises red flag

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 18, 2017 - Growers beg to differ with USDA on size of crops