By Aaron Johnson
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WAYNE TOWNSHIP - Although a soggy spring and early summer put them behind, Greater Cincinnati farmers say a good harvest is cropping up.

Farmers are reporting good yields in corn and especially soybeans.

"Being so wet in the early spring, we were thinking we were going to have another disaster," said Steve Bartels, Ohio State University extension agent in Butler County.

Now, farmers are expecting to harvest about 35 bushels of soybeans per acre, which is equal to the five-year average, and corn yields are expected to be above average. Last year's yield was hurt by drought.

Jerry Gerber has been farming in Butler County for nearly 50 years and was amazed at the amount of rain that started off the growing season. "We had 30 days from the first of May to the first of June where you couldn't even get in the field," he said.

A premature frost that came in early October didn't help matters and it forced Gerber to chop 200 acres for silage, but overall, he's having a good harvest.

The Gerbers grow some 800 acres each of soybeans and corn. He estimates he will have 160-180 bushels per acre of corn and 40-50 bushels per acre of soybeans.

Farmers say that after the rains of May and June, July was not as hot as normal, allowing corn to pollinate before the dry August.

Prices are also up for both corn and soy. Corn is going at $2 per bushel; local farmers say last year at this time it went for $1.80 per bushel. Soybeans have shot up to $7 per bushel, up from less than $5 this time last year.

Quick crop facts

• Seven inches of rain fell in the Cincinnati area in May - 2.7 inches above normal.

• Corn and soybean production is a $43 million industry in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties.

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