Rice Continued from Page 8
As he cut his later-planted fields, he said he was concerned about milling quality, or the percent of whole kernels that net growers higher payment. Milling quality often decreases as rice is left in the field longer than normal and grains are exposed to the elements. While his overall per-acre yields were down about 5% in his later-planted fields, Dewitt said his quality did not drop. He had the short-season Calrose variety M-105 and the most commonly planted Calrose variety, M-206. Drew Rudd, who farms with his family near Gridley, said he experienced a similar season with spring rains delaying ground preparation. He ended up eliminating steps and made one pass with a tri-plane leveler “because it was such a short win- dow. It worked out OK.” In 2022, drought-induced water cut- backs meant the Rudds planted only about 65% of their acreage. With full water deliv- eries in 2023, they planted all their ground to M-105, M-206 and a bit of the late-ma- turing M-209 between May 15-29. As with many other growers, the pre- dominately mild growing conditions during the summer pushed the Rudds’ harvest into late October. “For the first time in our life, we were considering applying salt,” Rudd said about using sodium chlorate to speed drying. “We didn’t have to because we received a freeze
Cooler weather this year meant rice didn’t mature and dry as quickly, pushing harvest back several days in the Sacramento Valley. The extended harvest came a year after severe drought forced many growers to fallow acreage due to lack of water deliveries.
about the 26nd of October, followed by two days of north winds, and our rice literally dropped seven to eight points of moisture. So far, the quality looks good. Our yields are off five sacks on average.” Charley Mathews, who farms near Marysville, also planted late and didn’t finish harvest until Nov. 7. “I didn’t think it was ever going to end,” he said. “Wet conditions delayed maturity.
We had equipment failures, and it was very challenging. Once you start late, you’re kind of stuck in that cycle.” Mathews had M-206 and M-401, a long-season premium medium-grain vari- ety. Although his overall yields were down 2% to 5%, he said he was surprised by the good milling quality. “We got very lucky,” Mathews said, considering some of the rice was harvested
above optimum moisture levels. The improved quality also was a pleasant change from 2022, when an early September heat wave caused widespread chalk, consid- ered a quality defect that results in dockage. Mathews said he is involved with two rice dryers that were still running in early December to handle high-moisture rice. (Vicky Boyd is a reporter in Modesto. She may be contacted at vlboyd@att.net.)
January 3, 2024 Ag Alert 9
Powered by FlippingBook