By James Jordan, Sumner Newscow — The wheat harvest in south central Kansas is down two touchdowns at halftime.  It’s not over, but the quarterback’s shoulder is sore, and the defense hasn’t had a legitimate stop yet. There’s still a lot of game to go, but it’s going to be an uphill battle to salvage this year’s season.

Expectations were low when the March and April drought caused the wheat to ripen early, resulting in low test weight and lower yield. Now, rain is keeping the combines on the sidelines as harvest begins in Sumner County.

There is still hope, though. The home team is getting the ball to start the second half, at least.

County extension agent Randy Hein said there are some areas where the wheat may come out better than expected. There were fields around that did not ripen as early, and the recent rains will help improve the yield.

There is some wheat in the Belle Plaine area that is still green and could still yield well.

Other areas of the county are past the point where rain helps, and it could even make it worse, with rust and other plant diseases developing.

The extension service has test plots in the Conway Springs and Caldwell areas. Hein said the wheat in the Caldwell plot looks good and has potential. The Conway Springs plot has some wheat that looks really good.

“It’s time for the rain to stop,” he said, adding that it’s not going to help wheat that is still out there now.

Several farmers have begun cutting in Sumner County, but rain seems to be the biggest obstacle right now. It’s holding up an already thin crop.

That is similar to what happened last year when rain kept farmers from harvesting. The crop looked better overall last year, and wet weather during the harvest made it more difficult. Hein said last year turned out better than expected at the time.

Yields ended up higher overall, so dockage was not as much of an issue as expected.

The crop may not be as good as it was in recent years. There are a few bright spots, however. A lot will depend on how much the weather cooperates.

They need a turnover and a sustained touchdown drive to start the second half.