Many area farmers began their corn and soybean season with a grim outlook, said Steve Wilson, owner of Baldwin Feed & Grain. The majority planted their crops much later than normal because of the wetter-than-normal weather.

“It was going to look like a pretty tough year,” he said. “They were going to need a pretty lucky year to get good yields.”

As it turns out, a pretty lucky year is what the farmers got, Wilson said.

Now farmers are harvesting their crops and seeing higher-than-average yields for both corn and soybeans, Wilson said.

Farmers are averaging between 130 and 160 bushels of corn per acre and between 35 and 40 bushels of soybeans per acre, Wilson said.

Matthew Vajnar, grain merchandiser at the Ottawa Co-op, said he was seeing similar numbers averaging 125 bushels per acre of corn and 35 to 40 on soybeans.

“On corn everything over 100 bushels is a pretty good year,” Wilson said. “And beans, if you could make 35 or 40 bushels, anything over that is a pretty good year.”

“It’s been very similar to last year in both regards,” Vajnar added. “Perhaps there are a few more soybeans than a year ago and a few less corn bushels, but very close and both years are above average.”

Although the crops have yielded more than expected, both Wilson and Vajnar agree the prices aren’t what they used to be.

Prices for soybeans are around $8.69 per bushel, around $1.80 cheaper per-bushel than last year, Vajnar said calling the decrease significant. Corn prices are around $3.30 per bushel, about 15 cents lower than last year, he said.

Wilson reported similar prices, noting that the dollar amount is on the low end for recent years.

Wilson said the low prices can make it difficult for farmers to reach a break-even point with their crops, but those prices are largely out of their hands.

“But it’s always good to have bushels,” he said. “However much money you’re making you’re usually happier when you have bushels. At least you’re doing your job right.”