2019 Central Kansas Wheat Harvest 6-27-19

This year I am trying to work on more photo stories, also known as documentary photography. The first subject I am working on is the 2019 Central Kansas Wheat Harvest.

Every year farmers spend approximately a week to two weeks to bring in the largest crop in Kansas. They planted the wheat in the ground in the fall. The plants spent the winter sitting dormant waiting for the warmth of spring to begin growing. With the heat and wind of summer, the plants reached maturity and turned a distinctive golden color.

This year farmers began cutting later than normal thanks to an overly wet May. The moisture could lead to larger than expected yields. It also could mean less than average grain in the bin due to the plants not maturing fast enough or worse yet, drowned.

There are many elements of bringing this important cash crop to market. I hope to get the opportunity to document those over the coming days.

First up is a few photos from Marvin and John Schneider and their farm north of Albert, Kansas.

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