Sunflower Harvest on KMOT-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Sunflower Harvest | Video

Retha Colclasure

11/18/2009

Sunflowers are one of the prettiest crops in the state during the summer.

When they`re ready for harvest, they`re rather ugly.

But to farmers, the combines that can finally start harvesting in those fields is one of the loveliest sights they`ve seen.

Last year, Morton County farmer Dennis Renner was finished harvesting by the beginning of November.

This year, he couldn`t even get started until a week ago.

It had to get sunny before Renner could start combining his sunflowers.

"It`s a month later than normal," says Renner. "Even last year I was combining corn in October."

This year, the corn has to wait. He`s still working on the flowers.

"A slow start to spring, rain, summer," Renner says. "Cool growing season put everything back."

Sunflower producers like Renner are about a month behind normal. But they say this year`s yields might have made it worth the wait.

"This year I think they`re a little bit better, maybe 10-percent," says Renner.

And one field has the potential to be the best he`s ever seen.

"One fellow who sprays for me thinks it`ll make 2,500 pounds," he says. "I`m excited. Never had a crop that good."

There are still some challenges along the way. Mechanical breakdowns are just one concern.

"As long as the weather holds out there aren`t any problems," says Renner. "It`s just, your anxiety level gets up a little. You`re flirting with a blizzard that could come up at any time."

So he`s working as hard as he can, sunup to sundown, every day to get these sunflowers in.

Once Renner finishes his sunflower fields, the corn fields will be waiting.

He has about 200 acres of corn to harvest, and is hoping those yields will be high, as well.

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