What is Winter Wheat?
Winter wheat varieties are sown in the fall and usually become established before going into dormancy when cold weather arrives. In the spring, plants resume growth and grow rapidly until the summertime harvest. According to the USDA, wheat ranks third among U.S. field crops in planted acreage, production, and gross farm receipts. Winter wheat production represents approximately 70 percent of total U.S. production, on average.
As with other commodity crops, higher levels of production are often associated with higher profitability. One difference with wheat is that a large amount of the wheat crop is grown for human consumption and therefore quality attributes are often rewarded.
Benefits of Growing Winter Wheat
Growing winter wheat could mean more profit and value for your farm land. Understanding the benefits can help you decide if this commodity crop is right for your farm. Discover three benefits to winter wheat, whether you just recently purchased farmland or are looking to add winter wheat in the future on land for sale in Illinois or Indiana.
1. Additional Crop Rotation
Although wheat is not a main midwest row crop like corn or soybeans, wheat can provide a great option for additional crop rotation, which can lead to improved crop health and provide benefits to managing hard to control weeds. In the southern half of the midwest, wheat can also allow for a following crop of double cropped soybeans.
2. Manure Application Utilization
Winter wheat is harvested in June and July, providing a late summer window for manure application; this is good news for livestock operations to spread their application timing to what is usually a time of favorable weather.
3. Farm Tiling Projects
For farmers and landowners with plans to pattern tile a farm, installation following wheat is often a great choice because of dryer weather and it may open the window for some discounted prices, as tiling contractors generally aren’t very busy during the summer months.
As you can see, winter wheat may help to maximize crop and farm land productivity. If you’re looking for farm land for sale to grow winter wheat or interested in farmland management services, Hageman Realty’s team can help.
About Hageman Realty, Inc.
Hageman Realty represents trust, knowledge, and excellence. Since 1976, Hageman Realty has been earning your trust in buying or selling farmland, land transitioning, farmland management, recreational consulting, or generational planning. Growing from our family’s history, we have continued to build on that foundation with our passion, hard work, professionalism, and forward-thinking that continues to set us apart. Land is more than just our passion; it remains our livelihood, our way of life, and represents our future. Our seamless process and extensive expertise allow our clients throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Texas to get everything they need, all in one place. Contact our team today at (219) 261-2000 to learn how our team can assist you in your land buying or selling needs.
