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Wheat harvest making progress with many delaysBy Richard C. Snell Barton County Extension Agent, agriculture Kansas Last week I told you that the harvest and the county fair were great events but had occasional glitches. Rainfall and hail have been the hold-ups on the harvest. Any fair glitches are yet to be determined. At this writing, I have not cut any plots yet, as the cooperators are still cutting other fields for landlords. So I really have not heard much in terms of what varieties did well. We had another hail storm go through parts of the county the night of June 26. It wiped out wheat near Susank and did another 25 percent to our plot southwest of Claflin. We first had wheat harvested June 20 around Ellinwood. They were able to cut several days before the rain showers and are nearly finished at this point. Some of the wheat west of 281 Highway did not come up until late winter or spring thus delaying maturity. It is just now ripe. June 30 was the first day we probably had all the combines in the county rolling. Yields thus far have been good and so were test weights before the rain. Prior to the rain, I was hearing test weights from 58 to 65 pounds per bushel and after the rain, more like 56 to 63 pounds per bushel. They are still averaging 60 pounds per bushel generally. The wheat in half of the county became rather bleached out after the rains. Claflin had 2.5 inches from that storm I mentioned. By the time you read this, I hope we are nearly complete with the harvest so everyone can focus on the county fair and putting up hay. Exhibit at the Fair--Market wheat entries extended The Barton County Fair is July 9 to 13. There are several things you can exhibit in open classes at the fair. We will start with the livestock. Ag producers or 4-H and FFA youth may exhibit beef cattle, sheep, horses, goats, rabbits, and poultry. An entry fee is required for each animal in these open classes. Check the official fair book for complete details on entries. July 7, is a day set aside to get your stuff ready after we set-up the grounds and buildings. Open class entries are also available for field crops. We have a market wheat show where a two-pound sample is checked for protein and test weight. The best thing for this is to grab 10 to 15 pounds of what you cut and saved for seed wheat. Then complete the information sheet with variety and production information, along with a fair entry sheet. Originally these were due by June 30, but with harvest being late to start with, then delayed, I have postponed the deadline for one week. I have to have these samples by noon, July 7 as we run the tests July 7 and 8. We also have a class for wheat in a one gallon jar that is judged on physical appearance. These and the other grains can be brought in at check-in time. We also have a gallon jar class for oats, barley, and rye grain. You can also bring jars of fall crops harvested last year. Since our fair is early, the summer crops are exhibited in the stage of maturity they are currently in. You can show five plants of soybeans, milo or corn. We also have single plant entries for the tallest corn plants, tallest sunflower, and the soybeans with the most pods. Set these with the roots in a plastic bag, with the soil around the roots intact and wet. Last but not least, you can exhibit a flake of alfalfa hay. Other hay, such as prairie hay or brome, may be exhibited in a flake or a wrapped sample for exhibition only. Get those garden vegetables in as well. While our 4-H classes are open only to Barton County youth, the open classes are available to anyone who resides in the state of Kansas. Complete details on the classes can be found in the fairbooks which are available at a variety of business locations in the county, by calling 316-797-3247 or log onto www.bartoncountyfair.com. Barton County Fair time is here Things really get going at the fair July 9 with check in of all non-perishable exhibits. This would include things that won't dry out or wilt. All exhibits are checked in July 9 from 8 a.m. to noon except for perishables. The 4-H rabbit show starts at 2 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a youth rally in Expo III. 4-H and open class poultry are judged at 4 p.m. in Expo III. This is also the opening night for Wagner's Carnival and the commercial exhibits. July 10 is Judgement Day at the fair. That morning from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., all perishable gardening crops, flowers, and foods are checked in. Most of the inside exhibits plus the agricultural mechanics projects are judged that day between 10 a.m., and 5 p.m. The 4-H swine show starts at 9 a.m. The dairy cattle show is at 3 p.m. The 4-H bucket calf show begins at 6 p.m. The Mark Schultz concert will be that evening. On July 11, the 4-H Business Coffee and Breakfast is held at 7:30 a.m., in Expo I. The 4-H goat show begins at 8 a.m. The 4-H dog show will be held in the armory, starting at 9 a.m. The Bernard J. Ohnmacht Memorial Shepherds Lead is at 10 a.m. The 4-H and open class sheep show follows at 11 a.m., all in Expo III. The open class dog show will get going at 1 p.m. The 4-H beef show starts at 5 p.m. July 12 is Kids Day at the fair, with the kids pedal pull, mutton bustin, open class livestock shows, the pinewood derby, ATV races and the BBQ cook-off contest. There will be a watermelon feed at 5 p.m., and the Survivor concert that evening. 7/21/08 Date: 7/17/08 Advertisement
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