Cropwatcher 5-29-09

Heres a picture of the new Spra coupe in its first field. we are 80% done with corn and we drilled a small field of beans I wish the weather would let us finish someday.


Todd Easton Coles County May 28 2009: The farmers in Coles County really gave it a big push last weekend until Monday’s short inch of rain gave us a break on Memorial Day. The hard effort by everybody left the Corn at 50 to 70 percent planted and the beans at around ten percent completed. We were just starting to get back in when another two tenths came Wednesday evening. If the forecast holds true we will probably get some more work done this weekend before the chance of rain at the beginning of the week. The recent warmth has encouraged much of the corn that is in the ground to have some decent growth. Earlier planted corn is looking good and getting to the V3 stage with the exception of difficult spots in the fields and corn planted barely a week ago is already emerged and looking good. I really appreciate the positive comments I have already been receiving from several readers Thank You.

Cropwatcher 5-22-09

Todd Easton Coles County May 22 2009: Back in the fields again this week after almost a week break that we didn’t want to take. So far I would say we are working toward 20% of the Corn in the ground and maybe 2-3% of the Soybeans. Work started back up on Tuesday when a large amount of Rotary Hoe’s that haven’t seen daylight in years came out in full force to try and save what got planted last week. With the heat on our side I think most will succeed in getting that corn up. Wednesday many of the Field Cultivators got started back up and Corn Planters started following them on Thursday. Although many are going ahead almost everybody is admitting that we are pushing the workability of the ground as much as we possibly can but with the time of the year and the weekend forecast not on our side what do you do. As a friend of mine once said sometimes you have to compromise your standards to better your average. Once again stay safe and even though you will probably get this after Monday take time to think of those who sacrificed so much for our freedom

Cropwatcher 5-15-09

Todd Easton Coles County May 15 2009: Finally a small amount of progress to report. Several lucky guys with well drained land in the northern part of the county and on up got a day or two break where mud briefly became tillable soil before Wednesdays 3” rain. Planted Corn acreage in that area is still well below 10 percent and that’s the best of our situation. Anyone who knows our county knows that because of the ancient glacier it is two different worlds of farming between the northern half and the southern half. I was reminded of this when an emergency parts run took me south on route 130 I began to feel like us north siders didn’t have it so bad. Starting from just south of town and for the next 80 miles was nothing but absolutely no progress just growing weeds that haven’t been able to be tilled, sprayed, and no anhydrous applied anywhere defiantly reminded me that sometimes when you get out of your neighborhood you learn that you don’t have it so bad. All I can say especially to our southern readers is keep up the hope and well get this crop in yet.

Cropwatcher 5-8-09

Todd Easton Coles County May 8 2009: Hello everyone wish I had better news than what I do. Because of the .7” we received on the 1st here has been absolutely no planting progress in the area since the beginning of last week. We were looking to start at the first of next week but after receiving .25” Thursday night it will be the middle of next week at best. The small amount of corn that has already been planted is starting to come up mainly in the high spots but a few fields are almost totally emerged and looking decent so far. Until next week keep dry.

Moon lighting as a Farm Bureau CropWatcher

I wish I could say we got to plant something but with exception of Kelly's beans in the garden mother nature hasn't allowed us to let the corn out of the bag yet. I volunteered to take over our neighbor John Hurst's cropwatcher column for the Farm Bureau's Farm Week publication and will post these on here also to keep non subscribers updated on what is going on around the farm. Here's the first one and my mug shot by Ken Kashian. This is what I sent in to them the published verson has some editing from them to introduce me that I doubt is necessary here.

Todd Easton Coles County May 1 2009: Greetings from Coles County I will be the new crop watcher for our area. I hope to maintain the high standard of reporting that John Hurst established before me. Like in many other areas around the state things were looking pretty good in the last part of March. Almost all of the fertilizer that didn’t get applied last fall due to the late season was finally put on the ground and everyone was anxiously waiting for the soil to warm up. Since then we have received a lot of April showers and the only planting window we have had was over the last weekend. Several producers got a small start on corn planting while the rest held off in anticipation of the rains that brought us a short inch. Now it looks like if we get lucky enough to miss the forecasted rains it will still be middle of next week before the planters roll again. Once again I look forward to reporting this year as it unfolds and wish everyone a safe and productive one.