Those spring rains are still being felt as fall beckons.

The Wyoming barley harvest is about two weeks behind normal, and the soggy spring that kept farmers out of their fields is being blamed for it, with recent rains also contributing. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, 54 percent of the barley in the state had been harvested as of the end of August.

That’s well behind the 71 percent that had been harvested at this point in 2013, and even farther behind the 74 percent of the crop that was in a bin by this time during a five-year period.

“Most of the barley comes from the Big Horn Basin so the basin’s level tends to mirror the state level,” said Steven Gunn, deputy director with the Wyoming Field Office of the USDA-NASS.

The barley harvest looks promising, however, with 64 percent considered good and 33 percent excellent. The other 3 percent is termed fair, the service reported.

Mike Moore, the Powell-based manager of the Wyoming Seed Certification Service, said it looks to be a strong harvest.

“I have only heard one negative comment regarding a barley yield, and most have been pleased to very pleased,” Moore said. “That certainly is not scientific, but the crop looked really good, so what I am hearing makes sense.”

Gunn said the price of barley has been dropping, however.

The price for feed barley on July 31 was $5.37 per bushel, down from June when it was $6.08. A bushel of feed barley brought $6.38 in July 2013.

Another small grain is also behind schedule, with 63 percent of oats harvested as of Aug. 31, compared to 74 percent last year and 71 percent on average during the five-year period, according to the NASS.

Oats are considered 77 percent good and 18 percent excellent. Another 3 percent is ranked as fair, with 1 percent poor and 1 percent very poor.

The second cutting of alfalfa is also behind schedule, with 81 percent baled and stacked compared to 91 percent at this time in 2013 and 84 percent over the five-year average.

However, both spring and winter wheat are on target, with 72 percent of spring wheat harvested, compared with 75 percent in 2013 and 74 percent as a five-year average. Almost all winter wheat — 98 percent — is out of the fields, compared to 100 percent at this time last year and 99 percent over the previous five years.

Dry beans are getting closer to harvest, with 88 percent setting pods, slightly down from 93 percent at this point in 2013 and 91 percent over a five-year period. However, only 26 percent are coloring, compared to 52 percent at this time last year and 57 percent on average.

The word on beans is good, however, with 81 percent receiving that label, with another 12 percent excellent and 7 percent fair.

Sugar beets have yet to be harvested, but 85 percent is tagged as good with the remaining 15 percent termed excellent by the NASS.

Corn is almost on schedule, with 91 percent silking, compared to 97 percent at this time in 2013 and 95 percent over the five-year period. Most of the maize — 88 percent — is labeled as good, with 7 percent excellent and 5 percent fair.