Leflore County farmers are completing their 2011 harvest and assessing their yields.
“Some parts were better; some parts were worse. It is what I would say is an ‘average’ year,” said farmer Stephen Pillow.
“Overall, we’re pretty well done — I’d say 98 percent on cotton and 99 percent on soybeans,” said Jerry Singleton, an agent with the Leflore County Extension Service.
He said both cotton and soybeans yields will down from previous years.
“With the high temperatures we had in July and August, it did affect our yields somewhat,” Singleton said.
Pillow, who didn’t have any cotton planted this year, said he completed his corn harvest during the first few weeks of September.
He finished his soybean harvest around Oct. 5.
Erle West Barham said Monday that he was still harvesting.
“It’s been going good. We’ve had good weather,” he said.
“We’re within five or six days” of completing harvest, Barham said.
He said it was all part of being a cotton farmer.
Pillow said he and his brothers are planting winter wheat and getting the ground ready for next year.
Singleton said farmers are making good use of the remaining days of dry weather.
“They’ve made great progress with the fall tillage work,” he said.
“Now we’re looking at the first of November. It will be getting wet,” Singleton said.
• Contact Bob Darden at bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
