OMAHA (DTN) -- "The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer." Will Rogers.

Isn't that the truth? Just the act of putting seed in the ground with the expectation that several months down the road it will have become a cash crop is the very definition of optimism.

One of the things we've noticed gathering these harvest reports is the general optimistic tone producers have, even when they are reporting fields with low to zero yields. That might be hard for a nonfarmer to understand, but an email from a west-central Minnesota producer defined it perfectly:

"Goes back to that old saying: We had two really good years -- 1974 and next year. There is always next year."

Looking forward to next year is a good thing for this producer, as he also wrote: "Finished beans Monday. Three-year average is over 40 bpa and this year we won't break 30 on 1,000 acres. Too wet early, too dry late and an early frost kinda sunk our battleship. Gonna start corn Friday. Looking for huge swings in both yields and moisture due to same problems. Anywhere from pretty respectable to catastrophic."

Still, to repeat his statement, there's always next year.

Here are some more harvest reports, organized by method of reception.

EMAIL

From west-central Indiana, Parke County:

"Corn & soybean yields, sand and gravel soil type.

"Corn: 140 acres, yield 91.5, moisture 14%, should be 160 yield; 45 acres, yield 154, moisture 18%, should be 190; 72 acres, yield 204 moisture, 21%, should be 220; 500 acres flooded out Wabash River bottoms.

"Soybeans: 60 acres, yield 38, moisture 14%, should be 47; 120 irrigated acres, 62 yield, 13.5% moisture, should be 75+; 152 acres, 41 yield, 12% moisture, should be 50.

"This is all that is harvested. We still have 400 acres of soybeans left to harvest, 200 which was planted June 23 in the river bottoms."

**

From LaMoure County, southeast North Dakota:

"Just finished. Came in at about average yield of 35 bushels per acre. Low ground was tough on yields from too much rain in early summer. Moisture down to around 8% at end of harvest."

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Near Canby, Minnesota:

"Harvsted 60 acres of corn and it is running 175-180 bpa, 15% moisture. Early beans 45-50, later planted beans yields were hurt by the early frost."

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From northwest Missouri:

"Harvest here is warp speed! Only one day of corn harvesting left at our place. Yields uneven but no complaints. Running 120-170 bushel. We've cut 300 acres of beans so far. Yield 45-52; they looked better than that. Heat stopped pod fill. We may get into some better fields yet to go. Some beans were very small. Getting very dry. 9% moisture and stems barely mature. A nice sprinkle needed to settle dust. Hope EPA isn't checking dust in air today!"

**

East-central Indiana:

"100 acres good ground made 58, poorer ground in the mid 40s."

TWEETS

@jddoerr - "Just hauled 7.3% #Soybeans to elevator. Was really hoping they would pick up moisture sitting on the truck overnight. #AgChat #Harvest11"

@Agridome - "#Harvest11 has never started in SW #Ontario, too wet, too long, hopefully in the next few days."

TEXTS

From Elsberry, Mo.:

"Over half done with corn and beans. Corn under irrigation running around 200 and made dirt around 180. Black dirt has been terrible ranging 80 to 110. Beans are better than expected with an average yield around 50 with highs in the 60s and some 40s thrown in."

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Central Michigan:

"Soybeans are coming in at 60 bpa. Black beans are running 23 cwt bags per acre. Will get back to you at Christmas time on corn yields. Still have a lot of John Deere green color!"

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Southwestern Ontario:

"45 minutes west of London. Started yesterday averaging 175 dry at 28%. High sand farm. Should be the lowest yield we get. Ideal conditions after wet spring."

**

It's a busy time of year for you and we know that. But, if you can find a few minutes between truckloads or while you wolf down that sandwich, we'd love it if you would let us know what you are finding in your fields.

We can be reached by email at talk@telventdtn.com or any of our individual email addresses. Mine is cheri.zagurski@telventdtn.com. You can also text me at 402-301-8732 or Bryce Anderson 402-594-4248. Voicemail messages can be left at those numbers, too, or you can call 800-369-7675. That number rings right in the newsroom. On Twitter, you can send me a message. I'm @cherizagurski. Or feel free to message any of our Tweeters. DTN also has a Facebook page, DTN/The Progressive Farmer. You can post a message on our wall. http://www.facebook.com/…

Tell us where you farm and any items of note you're finding as you start the combine. Yields, moisture levels, unusual damage. Anything. We'll gather these comments into regular updates for our readers. Check the home page of www.dtnpf.com orwww.dtnprogressivefarmer.com regularly for new information.

We hope to hear from you. Here's to a safe, speedy and prosperous harvest.

Cheri Zagurski can be contacted at cheri.zagurski@telventdtn.com

(AG)

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