Eastern Ontario
Corn
• Most expect above average yield.
• A leaf frost (-2 C) on October 3rd capped CHU accumulation at 3150 for the season, which is in line with normal.
• Total precipitation from May 1 to October 25: 475 mm.
Soybeans
• Yields extremely variable, ranging from 20 to 70+ bu/acre. For most, yields were slightly above average.
• Yield variability was mainly the result of soil moisture availability, planting date and aphid control.
• In many fields, plants were short with pods very close to ground, increasing losses.
Forages
• Stored hay and haylage inventories are excellent.
• Alfalfa yielded very well, the result of excellent overwintering conditions. Many 4th cut alfalfa stands not harvested for lack of additional forage needs.
• Alfalfa stands with a lot of growth will lose leaves with hard frost. Remaining stems will not pose risk of smothering.
Cereals
• Delays in soybean harvest pushed back winter wheat seeding beyond optimal window for some.
• Winter wheat planted in September or early October showed excellent growth and was tillering well.
• See spring wheat, barley and oats performance trial results at GoCereals.ca.
Renfrew County
Corn
• First killing frost on Oct. 3 ended growing season.
• No grain corn was harvested yet by Oct. 26th. Hand-shelling tests showed moisture at about 25%.
• While the crop wasn’t quite ready for the combines to roll, the quality looked good and fairly big kernels pointed to average yields.
Soybeans
• 80% harvested by Oct. 26.
• Yields above average at 50 bu/ac and up.
• A minority of fields had short plants, which made them harder to harvest. Those fields had disappointing yield results.
• Growers for the most part were pretty happy with this year’s harvest.
Forages
• Hay and alfalfa fields received lots of moisture and grew plenty heading into winter.
• Ample hay supply this year.
• Last of corn silage harvest wrapped up in third week of October. Silage corn plants were shorter this year but delivered good stalk-to-grain ratio, and good quality.
Cereals
• Winter wheat planted by mid-September was tillering well and in excellent shape.
• Some winter wheat was planted as late as the third week of October.
Northumberland, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
• A few producers started grain corn harvest by Oct. 26 reporting moisture at 19 to 23%. Those are positive numbers at a time when producers can do without unnecessary drying costs.
• Early reports suggested an above average yield.
• Test weights were good and quality excellent.
Soybeans
• Harvest finished up on the week of Oct. 26.
• Yields were average at best. Slightly over 40 bu/ac was pretty common.
• Lack of moisture is the story. You can really see the impact of this season’s dry conditions on soils with sandy areas.
• Quality is good.
Forages
• Corn silage harvest wrapped up.
• Other forage crops look good heading into winter
Cereals
• A long available planting season for winter wheat this year.
• Early planted winter wheat was looking extremely well, with nice and even emergence and a good top going into winter.
• The number of acres planted is back to normal, after last year’s decline amid tough planting conditions.
East-Central Ontario
Corn
• Harvest underway Oct. 26. Reported yields 140-220 bu/ac on a dry basis. Yield was closer to average than soybeans.
• Moistures in low 20s. Early corn coming off with lighter bushel weights than 2001 but still strong number 2 sample.
• Starting to see corn breaking down, above the cob.
Soybeans
• Soybeans harvest was 90 to 95% done by Oct. 26.
• Yields were all over the map, from 18 bu/ac to 55 bu/ac.
• Some soil type variation, but mainly drought pressure.
• Quality has been excellent and harvest moistures respectable.
Forages
• Healthy condition and ready for the winter nap.
Cereals
• Unlike the wet fall of 2021, this year’s wheat planting wrapped up in mostly good conditions.
• Later planted wheat was slow to emerge but looking better everyday.
• A few growers took advantage of recent rains and warm weather to plant cover crops.
