By Mark Badertscher
OSU Extension Educator

HARDIN COUNTY__During the month of August 2023, Extension volunteer rainfall reporters received an average of 5.10 inches of rain. The most rain for this month, 7.27 inches fell in Goshen Township as measured by John Brien. The least rain reported during the month, 3.00 inches was reported in Blanchard Township by Nutrien Ag Solutions. During the same month last year, an average of 4.32 inches of rain fell. The rainfall recorded in August over the past ten years averaged 3.21 inches.

For the growing season since April 15, the average precipitation in the townships was 15.73 inches, ranging from 13.03 inches in Blanchard Township and 13.07 inches in Liberty Township to 19.35 inches in Pleasant Township. The growing season average rainfall was 3.62 inches below the ten-year average for Hardin County through August.

August brought more needed rain for county crops after a dry start to the growing season. Farmers were counting on rain to complete ear fill and to produce soybean pods. Field checks in some areas of the county showed evidence of pollination issues with tip back and smaller ears. Soybean fields showed promise with new pod development, which could help soybean yields as soybeans tend to adapt to the weather during the growing season.

Disease pressure has been low in corn and soybean fields until later in the season. Late season moisture brought on gray leaf spot and tar spot in some areas, but after yield was established in corn fields. Soybean fields continued to have low disease pressure through August except for a few fields showing Sudden Death Syndrome. Insect pressure has been relatively low in area fields. Some corn has been chopped for silage and early maturing soybean fields have been harvested at the current date. Cover crops have been seeded in the county with aerial applications and are coming slow with the dryer weather.