Crop Watcher Week Eight - Beyond Saturation

Todd Easton Coles County June 18 2010: Field operations across Coles County have been curbed since last Friday (June11) afternoon and subsequent rain showers have kept fields fully saturated and flooded in spots. Sprayers have been on hold while soybean fields are coming close to canopy in narrow row plantings and getting pretty ragged looking with volunteer corn and other weeds. I have already walked into a few corn fields that are over my head and showing 9 or 10 visible collars. The rest of the corn fields are not too far behind and the whole crop is looking good with a big exception to the flooded and low spots that are actually losing color falling backward in development. The very small amount of wheat that can be found in the countryside is coming to maturity and may see a combine in the next week or two if they can stay on top of the ground. Apologies in advance for no Coles County report next week as I will be off on vacation with the girls but I am hoping to see some tassels popping out when we return.

Crop Watcher Week Seven - SSDW (same showers different week)

Todd Easton Coles County June 11 2010: Same weather different week in Coles County as spotty precipitation seems to come around at regular intervals. In spite of the weather progress is being made in spraying and side dressing with most all the work for the corn crop completed and attention being focused on soybean spraying. Corn and soybean crops have both had a good development week once again with corn maturities ranging in the V8 to V11 stages and beans in a wide range from VE to V5. Hay balers have finally had a good enough stretch in spite of the precipitation to get a lot of cutting and some bailing done this week hauling out many loads of bales brought on by the wet spring.

Crop Watcher Week Six - Good News/Bad News

Todd Easton Coles County June 4 2010: Well it’s been one of those more rain every time you turn around weeks across Coles County. The good news is that many of the area farmers were able to wrap up soybean planting some time during the holiday weekend before the rains came. The bad news is sprayers and side dress applicators still have a several acres to cover and are losing some of their prime running time to this wet weather. In keeping with the rainfall theme of the year showers have been very spotty and varied across the county with Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday rains accumulating just over 2” on our farm and almost double that just north of us. Many have commented that they actually watched the corn growing the last several days as it has almost doubled in height over that time. Maturity for the crop is on average in the V6-V7 range making knee high by the fourth of June which I maintain is the new way to gauge a good start for the corn crop. All but the latest planted soybeans are currently above ground with most in the V2 stage of development and will have good stands if the recently filled ponds go away quickly. Until next week don’t forget the umbrella.

Crop Watcher week five - Chaotic Week

Todd Easton Coles County May 28 2010: I think I can speak for all the farmers in Coles County in saying that things are almost getting chaotic. After last weekends rains turned out to be minimal planters, sprayers, and toolbars started back out one by one when conditions became fit and were out in full force until the most spotty rains I can ever recall stopped some, moved others, and had no effect on the rest of us throughout the mid to later part of the week. The good news is that progress is being made with bean planting coming close to wrapping up and spraying and anhydrous application being around half done or better. That heat we were wanting finally came around this week also and you can about watch the crops grow. Corn plants are in the V5-V6 range and looking pretty good for the most part with the exception of a few spots showing nitrogen and or compaction problems. Early soybean plantings are enjoying the warmth also becoming easy to see from the road while the rest of the beans are just emerging or just getting planted. It is very apparent that this year’s soybean crop will be multi generational which will mean changing combines back and forth several times next fall.