READLYN -- Northeast Iowa farmers are starting to feel like Winnie the Pooh's friend Eeyore -- nothing seems to be going right.

A challenging growing season, slow harvest and tumbling grain prices don't have farmers in a chipper mood these days. On Sunday, high winds knocked down corn in the region, adding insult to injury.

"We did not need that. (It seems) we've been hit with everything you can think of," said Steve Boevers, a farmer near Readlyn. "I can't wait until this year is over."

Monday's U.S. Department of Agriculture Crops and Weather Report said rains last week slowed harvest to a crawl. While Boevers isn't chronically depressed like the fictional donkey, he said it's just been one of those years.

A cold, wet spring prevented timely planting.

June was too wet, hurting plant development.

Crop experts say yields aren't bad but not as good as recent years.

Grain prices have plummeted by half or more from mid-summer highs. Cash corn was $3.44 per bushel and soybeans were $8.50 at the East Central Iowa Cooperative in Hudson on Monday.

More bad weather is the last thing farmers need, officials said.

Strong winds -- gusts hitting 58 mph at the Waterloo Regional Airport -- increased concerns for corn lodging and ear droppage in most parts of the state, according to the report. As Boevers combined corn Monday afternoon, he could attest to that.

The producer estimates 15 percent to 20 percent of his corn sustained wind damage. Boevers said he probably has a 90 percent to 95 percent success rate getting down corn to feed into the combine, but he's still leaving many bushels in the field that should be in the bin.

"There's definitely some yield loss. - We don't need any more," Boevers said.

It's too soon to tell how many acres were affected in the region, said George Cummins, Iowa State University Extension crop specialist based in Charles City. Cummins said the widespread use of biotech corn with corn borer protection, which keeps stalks healthier and stronger, helped minimize damage.

"But when you have winds like yesterday, it will cause problems," Cummins said.

On the bright side, Boevers said corn yields are OK. Numbers vary widely from 125 to 200 bushels per acre, sometimes in the same field. He's hoping for a 160 to 170 overall average.

"My expectations were not that good," Boevers said.

The report said 24 percent of Northeast Iowa corn is harvested as of Sunday, compared to 20 percent statewide. That's three weeks behind last year and 17 days later than the five-year average.

Only 3 percent of soybeans remain in Northeast Iowa fields, according to the report. Thirteen percent remain statewide.

Cummins said county average yields for soybeans appear to fall in the mid- to upper 40s per bushel.

Contact Matthew Wilde

at (319) 291-1579 or

matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.