2011: Better Late Than Never

WAITSBURG - With prices on the high side, now is a good time to be a wheat or dry pea farmer in the Touchet Valley. And while unseasonably cool, wet weather is causing a few problems for wheat farmers, that isn't the case for those with fields planted with peas.

Recent cool weather has slowed down the wheat maturation process, pushing back the start of harvest by 10 days to two weeks, McGregor agronomist Matt Weber said.

"It has caused some of the wheat to dry slower and to fall down in some places with the taller stalks," he said.

"We may not get into wheat harvest full swing until the end of this month (July). I can only think of one farmer cutting right now and usually we are into harvest full bore by now," Waitsburg-area grower NeilCarpenter said.

Extra rain helps wheat grow taller and sprout extra foliage and weeds, Weber said.

It doesn't necessarily mean higher yields. Extra foliage and weeds, in fact, can slow harvest times and cut into profits. In addition, heavy rains from a recent thunderstorm flattened grain in some Touchet Valley and harvesting it will have to be done more slowly.

Dry peas, on the other hand, don't mind cooler weather and don't thrive when daytime temperatures hit 90 degrees and above.

"Too many days over 90 degrees and the dry peas won't grow as well. Right now, the yield is looking pretty good," said Gary Ferrel of Blue Moutain Seed based in Walla Walla.

Wilbur Ellis agronomist Brian Rust added, "Seventy to 80-degree weather is fine for dry peas. It gets any hotter and the plants shut down a bit. They use too much energy to stay alive rather than produce a good yield of peas."

Wheat prices are up to $6.52 a bushel from last year's $4.90. Prices can vary 15 to 20 cents per bushel per day, depending on supply and demand.

Carpenter uses Oregon Clearfield 102 (ORCF 102) soft white wheat seed in his fields because it is bred for resistance to a spray that kills Jointed Goat Grass and Cereal Rye, two weeds that often cause problems for farmers in the area.

ORCF 102 was developed by Oregon State University and a royalty or premium has to be paid for its use. Because it's a private seed, farmers also cannot keep the harvest crop to replant for next year like a public seed would allow.

Public seeds have been on the market longer and don't have as much advancement as the newer private varieties.

Another good private seed used locally is Westbread 528, which produces good yields and is highly resistant to a common local fungus, stripe rust.

"The wheat yield looks good county-wide but we won't really know until we get into the wheat and cut it," Carpenter said. "We had an exceptionally good yield last year and it will be hard to beat."

The dry pea yields and prices are aided by the newer stand-up pea variety that generates better results than the old vine-style dry peas.

Stand-up dry peas grow taller than their vine predecessors. That means combines can use the same cutting heights as with wheat.

No alterations to the combines are necessary for dry pea harvest. Neither do farmers have to worry about picking up rocks off the ground when harvesting peas.

Garbanzo beans are starting to become more popular with local farmers than peas because of price. Garbanzos can garner prices of 34-40 cents per pound (locally exported) while peas get about 15.5 cents per pound.

Dry peas are a good rotation crop with wheat, however. Peas add extra nitrogen to the soil, which helps boost wheat yields by an extra 30 to 40 pounds per acre. This adds up to about $30 per acre.

Dry pea consumption is down 15 to 20 percent around the world. As a result, farmers are producing 10 to 11 percent fewer peas. Dry peas have lagged behind cereal grains and oil seed crops, according to the U.S. Dry Pea & Lentil Council.

Nationwide, the thirdlargest wheat crop is predicted for this year. Consumption of wheat is up a record fourth consecutive year, climbing one percent. Plantings are up eight percent from 2010.

A lot of the dry peas and wheat are exported. Eighty to 90 percent of Columbia Country's dry peas are sold overseas. Almost all of the white wheat locally grown is exported, much of it to Asia.

Garbanzo beans are used about 33 percent domestically for humus and for salad bars while the remaining 66 percent is exported.