For U.S. farmers, the month of August is harvest time for barley and a time to monitor corn and sorghum crops and prepare equipment for harvest.

Lacey Ridge Farms in Minnesota began harvesting barley July 21 and finished the first week of August. Once harvested, barley is stored in bins on the farm where the family can check moisture levels and dry it as needed.

Iowa corn farmer Jim Greif is preparing his on-farm drying and storage bins for the upcoming harvest. He is performing performance tests on the drying equipment and cleaning out the storage bins.

He monitors his corn crop and utilizes aerial application for fungicide as needed. One of Greif’s cornfields can be viewed at www.corncamiowa.com.

Southwest Kansas farmer Brett Reiss’ sorghum crop is mature enough to bloom and develop the grain head. Since sorghum pests thrive in the hot, dry August weather, Reiss monitors the crop and applies chemicals as needed with airplanes to avoid plant damage.

He also makes sure irrigation water is applied adequately and performs maintenance to prepare the harvesting.

For additional information on Reiss’ farm, visit www.southwestff.com.