Wheat harvest offices have closed across most of Kansas as the last bushels of the 2003 crop are cut from fields.

Rains in Douglas County, though, have delayed the harvest by about a week, said Steve Williamson, an employee with Ottawa Co-op’s South Lawrence elevator.

Williamson said he believed farmers would be working at least through the weekend to harvest the remaining wheat.

“We’ve had a hard time getting a break with the weather,” Williamson said.

Williamson said most farmers were reporting little damage to the crop from a small hailstorm Friday that moved through the area.

He said yields continue to average 50 to 60 bushels per acre with a few farmers having reported more than 70 bushels per acre. Last year the county’s average yield was 40 bushels per acre. The six-year average is 41.7 bushels per acre.

The harvest office in Colby said fields were wet and muddy in Thomas County, which was slowing the harvest’s progress. Crews expected to be finished cutting in the area this weekend.

The Tribune harvest office reported cutting was about 50 percent complete in Greeley County, where the weather was hot and sunny Tuesday. Harvest activity there ended abruptly Monday afternoon because of fog. Test weights have been favorable, running 62 to 63 pounds per bushel.

About half the wheat also was harvested in Logan County. The wheat harvest office in Oakley reported test weights of 59 and 60 pounds per bushel. Harvest in Hays and surrounding areas also were about 90 percent complete. Wakeeney estimated about 60 percent of the wheat crop was harvested.