As old man winter slowly fades away I’m reminded that this winter was not as bad as most. Understanding that temperatures and precipitation were abnormal for this past season we have to take into consideration more than the cost of running a snowblower or buying salt and ice remover, but the cost to our soil and crops.

Our Winter Wheat has taken a beating and the next couple weeks will determine what kind of crop will emerge and what kind of harvest we may have. For the last couple of years local, state and regional planting of the soft red winter wheat we normally produce has declined and the reasons vary as to why. But one thing is for sure the mild winter with stretches of 50 to 60 degree temperatures cold prove devastating to this crop.

Ohio is proud to be one of the top producers of soft red winter wheat in the country.

Of course there are other varieties, like Hard Red Spring, Hard Red Winter, Hard White Winter, Soft White Winter and Durum. Wheat has been a staple food for over 12,000 years and continues to be the most widely grown and preferred grain in the world.

Ohio is the fourth largest producer of Soft red Winter Wheat in the country, this is the kind of wheat used in pastries, cakes, cookies, crackers, pretzels and flat breads.

So obviously our local farmers are watching closely scouting their fields hoping for a long stretch of moderate temperature and slow water runoff to make sure the wheat planted last fall isn’t damaged.

Ohio is known for producing the highest quality flour among states that grow Soft Red Winter Wheat … in fact one bushel of wheat makes about 42 pounds of flour, and that’s enough my friends to make 5,000 four inch cookies.

But let us not forget Ohio Soft red Winter Wheat is used by Ohio distilleries and by the many micro-breweriers popping up all over the state.

Wheat contains a hearty supply of vitamins including B, E iron, zinc and potassium, and is also used to make non-food items like trash bags, soap, and concrete.

After harvest the remaining wheat stalks are used as straw for livestock bedding and fodder and in landscaping.

Wheat ranks number three among Ohio field crops and has a serious economic impact on our state — so although we loved the nice warm to mild winter the cost of this past winter weather may have a more negative effect than what we want — far outreaching the cost of snow removal, heating oil, gas and other short term savings as a result.

Here’s seeing you In Ohio Country!