SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — KELOLAND farmers have been putting in some long hours the past few weeks as the fall harvest kicks into high gear.

According to the USDA, there were five suitable days for fieldwork last week. But heavy rain this week put a bit of a damper on it, keeping a lot of the farmers out of the field.

Anytime farmers can make dust like this….it’s go time.

“Everything is a little earlier this year, because of the drought,” Garretson farmer Wayne Albers said.

Wayne Albers, who has been farming for 45 years, says the drought has affected this year’s yields for both beans and corn.

“The corn looks decent; it isn’t going to be near as good as it was last two years,” Albers said.

Jordan Scott, a farmer from the Valley Springs area, agrees.

“It’s been going okay. Soybeans are off a little from last year’s average, but we are getting some soybeans,” Scott said.

Scott hasn’t cut any corn yet, but he expects the same.

“I’d say we are going to be just a little below average; the drought really hurt the final production numbers,” Scott said.

This week’s heavy rain came too late in the year to help those yields, but the moisture is always welcomed.

Scott says farming is a big gamble. While the numbers are down, he says they could always be worse.

“That’s farming. It’s a roller coaster ride. You just got to hang on and go with the flow,” Scott said.

Scott, who is a fifth generation farmer, has his two little helpers with him; his two and four year old sons.

“They love riding along in the combine and hopefully they’ll be the sixth generation to farm this land,” Jordan said.

As far as Albers is concerned, he’s just glad he’s got something to put in the bin.

“Hey it’s great to have a crop you know, any year we can have a harvest it’s good,” Albers said.

Despite the drought, the USDA says in South Dakota 57% of the topsoil moisture is adequate and 49% of the subsoil moisture is adequate.