When the combines are about ready to roll, or are getting started, there are usually three big issues we think about: How are yields doing, how is our equipment holding up, and what is the weather forecast? If we like the answers we get to those questions, then things are likely going well enough that we can add another task to the long list we have in the fall — scouting from the combine.

Sure, what's done is done for this year, so you have a valid question with, "What good will scouting do us now?" Taking notes on anything out of the ordinary we see this fall can help out in planning for future crops. We'll cover a few examples, and with those in mind, you can probably think of other things to watch for this fall.