ORANGE CITY, Iowa — Strong yields have made this harvest a happy one for Joel Leusink.
“We were pretty dry for a lot of the growing season,” he said Oct. 14. “We were in the drought monitor index for a long time.”
2026 Iowa Harvest Survey
Harvest was moving quickly during this year's Illinois Farmer Today Harvest Survey.
‘Extreme highs to extreme lows’
Strong bean yields in north-central Iowa
CHARLES CITY, Iowa — Wayne Koehler was glad for the return of momentum to the 2026 harvest Oct. 14 following a very rainy August and September.
“We started to harvest Oct. 5, going right to soybeans,” Koehler said. “Some people around us here were running corn a little while before that.”
Chores continue during harvest delay
MORNING SUN, Iowa — Paul Gieselman felt happy after several consecutive days harvesting in his Louisa County fields.
A machine breakdown and flat tractor tire as work finished Oct. 14 made him hit pause, Gieselman said.
Northeast Iowa family works toward ‘payday’
JESUP, Iowa — A large northeastern Iowa family supports the ambitious annual growing plans for Blue Diamond Farming Co., based about 10 minutes south of Jesup near where Buchanan and Black Hawk counties meet.
The crew is led by Ben and Lisa Riensche, who directed the fourth-generation family farm to become Blue Diamond Farming in 1993.
Jones County farmers kick up harvest action
CASCADE, Iowa — Running hard is just a regular farm routine this time of year.
So when you go 23 days out of the field because of moisture, it can be concerning, said Nicole Stecklein who farms with husband Nathan and their four children Sam, Coe, Tad and Mac between Cascade and Bernard in Jones County.
‘Just too wet’ for good bean yields in southern Iowa
WOODBURN, Iowa — Harvest is moving right along for Jeff Pollard in Clarke County.
He said a little bit of rain Oct. 13 slowed people down, but most are just getting started with harvest in south-central Iowa.
Tama County brothers see consistent results
TAMA COUNTY, Iowa — Helpful weather and good timing has resulted in increased job satisfaction for central Iowa farmer Lance Ewoldt.
Ewoldt farms with his brother, Josh, growing corn and beans in a triangle in Tama County between Traer, Dysart and Clutier.
Wet season leads to some quality concerns
EMERSON, Iowa — A brief shower Oct. 13 pushed farmers out of the field, but not for long.
“We will be back at it later today,” said Brady Smith.
Yields come in high as harvest continues
SCHLESWIG, Iowa — A machinery breakdown stopped Brian Sieren as he neared the end of soybean harvest.
“We finally got delivery last week, and we’re about 2.5 days from being done harvesting beans altogether,” he said.
Smith Harvest Survey 2026
Gary Smith harvests corn Oct. 7 while Brian Kirk follows along with a grain wagon. Smith and his family farm in Mills County, Iowa.