When the wheat harvest heat finally arrived, it came with energy — lots and lots of energy — as in 100 degrees F and winds of 35 mph. Add all that heat and wind to the soggy fields, and you get muggy on top of hot and windy. And that was pretty much the story of the first week of wheat harvest in Kansas.

During the second week, it started raining again, with the occasional block of golfball-size hail coming along for the ride.

Dean Stoskopf, a farmer near Hoisington, reported in the Day 6 Kansas Wheat harvest report that his family was around a quarter of the way done by June 15, a figure which he estimated was above the area average.

"I am guessing that the area is only around 10% to 15% done," said Stoskopf. "I know some people who haven't even gotten started yet."

Stoskopf reported yields ranging from 60 to 75 bushels per acre and test weights ranging from 60 to 63 pounds per bushel. His area saw no major disease concerns, but he reported that northwestern Barton County did see some wheat streak mosaic virus damage.

"So far we have been pleasantly surprised," said Stoskopf. "One thing that I've heard is that the straw is really tough this year because the humidity hasn't let it dry down yet. I have seen that there is a lot of pretty green wheat left in the area."

Farmers in Dickinson County reported yield losses of as much as 50% to a combination of wheat streak mosaic and damage from an April 27 freeze that arrived just days ahead of a freak blizzard that buried the western third of the state under up to 20 inches of snow.

As farmers in Lane and Scott counties got started with harvest the week of June 19, reports of losses to wheat streak were common, and concerns about low test weights and shriveled kernels were also surfacing, bringing with them worries about another year of serious problems with volunteer wheat and curl mites in the weeks after harvest.

Lane County farmer Vance Ehmke said that he had one field of wheat destroyed by wheat streak mosaic and that it was covered in waist-high kochia by June 19.

In south-central Kansas, meanwhile, harvest was winding down by the week of June 19.

David Radenberg, a farmer near Claflin, reported that while he is around 50% done with his harvest, the average completion for the area is a little lower. Yields for the Radenbergs ranged from 35 to 55 bushels per acre with excellent test weights averaging above 60 pounds per bushel, he reported in the Day 7 Kansas Wheat report.

"I fertilized some with chicken manure," said Radenberg. "The spots I did that in ended up yielding around 10 bushels an acre more, and that's something that I was really impressed with."

Kevin Kelly, manager of the Twin Rivers Co-op in Arkansas City, reported that the area is 95% done with a “disappointing harvest.”

"This year we're going to be about 55% of the five-year average," said Kelly. "The decline is due to average yields and acres going to fall crops."

Kelly said that the average range for the area will be around 35 to 38 bushels per acre and test weights have ranged from 58 to 62 pounds per bushel.

"A lot of wheat was drowned out on our flat grounds," said Kelly. "Farmers came in and said while they were cutting, one side of the field would make 20 bushels an acre while the other side would make 80."

Disease pressure in the area was minimal during the growing season. The proteins in the area will be below-average.

In northeast Kansas, Nicole Harrison of Rezac Land and Livestock in Pottawatomie County, reports that their harvest got rolling around June 15. Their fields have averaged 64 bushels per acre, with 13.8% moisture. She reported that harvest was going well and said, "We never really saw much disease in it."