KOTA Territory NewsWinter wheat harvest has started in KOTA Territory

Winter wheat harvest has started in KOTA Territory

Rachael Embler

While high moisture levels pushed the winter wheat harvest weeks later than usual, farmers are just ready to begin.

"It's nice to get started. It's late but it's been good so far," said New Underwood Farmer Travis Madsen.

He said he's happy to watch the combines cut down his 4,000 acres of waving gold.

"It's kind of a relief," he said.

A relief because he thought that gold might not be worth its weight after hail destroyed thousands of acres and the wet season pushed back the harvest.

"We'll probably get a forty to fifty bushel average, which is pretty good. It's a decent crop this year," he said.

He said the quality of the wheat isn't bad.

His father Jim Madsen said while it's not the best year his fields are producing too.

"It's not a bumper crop for us. It'll probably be a little better than average when we're done," Jim Madsen said.

Now, however, they're worried about the price of wheat.

"Prices are going up a little. I'd wish it go up more. That'd be nice," Jim Madsen said.

Still, the Madsens expect to come out ahead.

"Fuel is a little cheaper and fertilizers went down some, so I guess that compensates for the cheaper price of wheat this year," Jim Madsen said.

Even after the rough road it took to get here, this family said they have little reason to complain.

"There are no disasters. There's nothing really great, there's nothing really bad, so we just got a good average year," Travis Madsen said.

In eastern South Dakota lower than average temperature have slowed the winter wheat harvest even more.

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