Grains see sharp gains Grains had sharp gains as buying entered the market on Nov. 2, according to the National Grain Market Summary. Outside markets were higher with crude oil and precious metals. Widespread harvest maybe delayed in some cases as fields are very muddy delaying harvest progress.

Moisture slows harvest Kansas Moisture across Kansas has slowed harvest for another week, with only a small portion of counties reporting less than half an inch of precipitation, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Kansas Field Office, Nov. 2. More than 2 inches of rain were reported in Greenwood and Rice counties.

Alfalfa conditions remain mostly good New Mexico There were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Nov. 1, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, New Mexico Field Office, Nov. 2. Topsoil moisture was 19 percent very short, 39 percent short and 42 percent adequate.

Excessive moisture slows harvest There is a record corn and soybean crop out there, but right now it's still in the field. Excessive moisture in corn and soybean producing states has farmers way behind schedule on harvest. Major corn and soybean producing states are behind the five-year average and farmers are beginning to be concerned about high moisture levels, mold issues and shatter problems.

Sun, dry forecast prompt harvest hopes, even for submerged crops Arkansas Arkansas farmers on Nov. 2 were trying to make the most of a rarity: consecutive days of sunshine. However, some growers may have to wait before firing up the harvesters.

Drenching rains further delay crop activities Oklahoma Although there were a few days of sunshine early in the week ending Nov. 1, heavy rains mid-week saturated fields and further delayed row crop harvest and small grain planting, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Oklahoma Field Office, Nov. 2. All nine districts received measurable precipitation, with the Southeast receiving the most at nearly three inches.

Counting the chickens There's an entire litany of old sayings that could pertain to this year's fall harvest. "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched." "Never sell a crop before it's in the bin."

Grain storage, temperature important After cleaning bins and equipment, the next step is to ensure grain quality going into storage. It must be clean, sound and dry and it's essential that it be relatively free of fines (cracked grain), trash and foreign material. Stored grain insects cannot live on extremely dry grain (less than 10 percent moisture), however it is impractical to reduce grain moisture much below minimum moisture levels necessary for long-term storage.

Wet weather keeps producers out of fields South Dakota More wet weather to finish off the month of October kept producers out of the fields for most of the week ending Nov. 1, according to the National Agricultural Statsitics Service, South Dakota Field Office, Nov. 2. There were only 1.8 days suitable for fieldwork in the past week for producer to continue to harvest row-crops.

Farmers flock to low-interest USDA loans-Should assistance be targeted to only certain types of farmers? Many farmers are grumpy this time of year and with good reason. In most of the nation's mid-section, they've watched record amounts of rainfall slow down harvest and significantly reduce the quality of their crops. Even though there have been some seasonal price spikes, average prices are still lagging far below last year.

October average rainfall tops 10 inches, a near record Missouri With statewide rainfall averaging more than 10 inches, Missouri weather records show October was the wettest in 68 years and second wettest in history. "Rainfall was about three times normal for October, which is considered a fairly dry month suitable for harvesting," said Pat Guinan, University of Missouri Extension Commercial Agriculture climatologist.

Sugar beet harvest behind normal Montana Montana experienced above normal temperatures with moderate precipitation for the week ending Nov. 1, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Montana Field Office, Nov. 2. Highs were mostly in the 50s to 60s, and lows were mostly in the upper teens and 20s.