Much has changed since our web update last month. We have made it though the extreme heat and dry in pretty good shape. Our first planted corn is starting to pollinate and the later planted corn should be doing the same late next week. All the early planted beans were flowered before the solstice and the mid to late May planted beans are beginning to flower now.
Sidedressing nitrogen on the corn went well and soil nitrate levels were high, which helped to soften the blow of these historically high fertilizer prices. The soybeans have a few more weeds than we’d like and we are in the process of re-applying herbicides on about half the bean acres. Many fields we are just bordering but a few are full re-sprays. Disease and insect levels in both the beans and the corn are low to nonexistent, with out a doubt due to the heat and drought conditions. We have only had just over 2” of rainfall in the last 6 weeks. The cooler temperatures and rain we received last week are just what we needed! We have been holding off on mowing ditches and waterways until we get some more moisture. Spraying for spider mites south of here has begun and we’re trying to keep the bugs in the grass as long as we can.
Yesterday was our farm visit with our agronomy consultant, Ken Ferrie. Together we evaluated several farms and are already planning for next year’s crop. Depending on the conditions going forward, we still feel that we have an average crop with the possibility of the early planted beans and the later planted corn being better than average. Moisture will be our limiting factor at this point. Hopefully mother nature keeps the rain and cooler temps coming!
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