Health, Science and Environment

Summer crops are feeling the heat

WCMU | By XMendoza

Published July 25, 2018 at 4:47 PM EDT

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An example of the effects of late planting and dry conditions. The dry patches are areas that the soy beans could not grow correctly at Randy Recker's farm in Mount Pleasant, MI on July 25, 2018.

Xavier Mendoza | WCMU

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Other parts of the farm that grew well under the conditions. The front crops are sweet corn while the shorter crops are soy beans.

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The yellowing of the leaves from pesticide discoloration at Randy Recker's farm. Recker said the plant gets discolored but the actual crop is unaffected.

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Randy Recker in front of his corn crops as he explains how the dry weather affects his corn.

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The yellowing of the stalk of corn is a visual example of the effect of dry conditions. Recker said instead of a green healthy color, the yellow is what happens when the crop is too dry and does not have enough water or moisture to grow.

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Recker stands in front of his crops as he explains the results of the wheat harvests from two weeks ago.

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The healthy batch of corn crops stand tall as Recker says he hopes mother nature helps the crops out with rainfall.

Xavier Mendoza | WCMU

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An undeveloped cob lays on the dirt as Recker explains how wildlife damage his crops throughout the season. He said this was due to deer eating the crop by pulling on the stem of the corn and pulling it down so that they could reach it.

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Recker says the flat areas with small bits of wheat are due to Raccoons scavenging for food.

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A couple of the machines Recker uses on his farm. The green one is primarily used for moving equipment while the red one is used for things prepping and planting.

Xavier Mendoza | WCMU

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This machine is linked to a tractor for prepping and planting. According to Recker, the machine flattens out and has a wing span of over 30 feet.

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This is a close up look to the spikes of the prepping machine. The ends flatten the surface of the dirt to prep it for planting.

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This is Recker's biggest vehicle and is used for harvesting.

Xavier Mendoza | WCMU

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This is a close up of how the crops enter the vehicle. According to Recker, the crops roll through the front, which are then crushed up and grinded. The crops then travel through the bottom half of the vehicle for a primary process of the crop.

Xavier Mendoza | WCMU

Half way through a Michigan summer and farmers are saying the recent weather is not good for crops.

Farmers said they planted late this year because of a wet spring, and recent scorching temperatures have made it harder for plants to grow.

Recker holds the crop to explain the difference between how the plant should feel when it's getting the correct amount of moisture compared to the yellowing stalk struggling in dry weather.

Paul Gross is an extension educator for the MSU Extension Service..

He said corn crops are taking a beating from the weather.

“Some of the corn has been hurt by the dry conditions,” he said. “I just don’t think it’ll recover to have an average yield.”

Gross said on a brighter note, wheat did well this year.

The view from Recker's farm after the wheat was harvested. The brown stalks will be collected later to create bales of straw.

Farmers also said corn and soybeans are hurting more than other crops.

Randy Recker is a farm owner and operator in Mount Pleasant. He said he’s grateful that crops have adapted to survive in warm weather.

Corn is just beginning to tassel on Recker's farm

“If we had the genetics of plants we had 20 years ago, we’d probably have crop failure,” he said. “But with these new genetics, they can take more stress and drought.”

Recker said even though genetics helps, the corn and soybeans still need significant rainfall through the rest of the season for normal growth.