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.

Crop Watcher week four - Think Dry (for now)

picture from top of leg to the west shows the young corn crop and the new county road being constructed in the far west as it prepares to discect the farm in a couple years.


Todd Easton Coles County May 21 2010: Planting progress was very minimal across the county in the last week. A few planters and toolbars got started back up last Friday joined by several more on Saturday until light mid afternoon rain halted progress once again. Sunday and Monday brought more precipitation accumulating to around 1.5” followed by more light rain that came on Thursday just as fields had just started graying off on top. The corn crop is looking pretty good approaching the V4 stage in some of the earlier plantings but would still be better off if some steady warmth would show up. Soybeans that were planted in the beginning of the first big push a couple of weeks ago are just emerging this week and look to have good stands. Until next week keep thinking dry weather thoughts (short term) and maybe we can still wrap up this planting season before June.

Crop Watcher week three - Steady Progress

Todd Easton Coles County May 14 2010: Farming activities were at a steady pace across Coles County at the beginning of the week until Monday evening rains stopped operations the northern part of the county and then Tuesday night rains halted the rest of the county. Cumulative rainfall for the area as of Friday morning was just short of an inch. Soybean planting has progressed rapidly ranging from around half done for many producers to nearly done for a few early birds. The very earliest planted soybeans are up and in the V1 stage and look to have good stands but the vast majority have not emerged yet. The majority of the corn crop is at or around the V3 stage this week and has been a bit pale thanks to the cooler weather but should green up and grow up pretty fast whenever the heat decides to show up. This past year has really made a bad case for global warming to say the least. Side dress and spraying activities for the corn have been going well and should start back up this weekend and get completed in a timely manner barring any significant rain events next week.

Crop watching week two - weatherman woes

Todd Easton Coles County May 7 2010: A line from a popular song goes “the waiting is the hardest part” and in the spring for farmers that is especially true. A highly varied amount of rainfall hit the area over the weekend (1st & 2nd) but because of good drying weather and anxiety to get some work done sprayers once again hit the field on Tuesday followed by planters and toolbars on Wednesday. Some of the motivation seems to come from the weatherman who keeps saying more rain is around the corner whenever you check in with him. With corn planting a fond memory for virtually everyone soybean planting has hit its stride with my best guess being 10 to 20 percent completed. The handful of bean fields planted ahead of the rains two weeks ago have emerged and are looking good. In the corn fields rows of green are easy to see but with the cooler weather the crop has not shown much change from last week. That has not stopped several side dress applicators including myself from going over several fields and surprisingly the job can be done in two inch corn with no problem. Well we will see if the Weatherman’s promises hold true this weekend but with farmers finding themselves in the middle of the ideal bean planting window it’s going to be hard for them to stop in anticipation of a rain that may or may not come.

Its Crop Watcher time again !

Todd Easton Coles County April 30 2010: What a difference a year makes and after 2009 that can only be a positive note. Things are looking real good across Coles County so far. Corn planting for the most part started during or right after the weekend after Easter and progressed rapidly to around 95 percent completed ahead of the gentle 1.5 inches of rain we received over the last weekend. About half of the planted corn has just entered into the early V1 stage and stands are looking exceptionally good. With the way most fields went from muddy to ideal planting soils in just a few days many acres skipped the usual pre plant anhydrous applications and will be depending on side dress applications this year. Most producers held off on soybean planting but a few early birds put some out ahead of the rain but with the rain fall being scattered and slow it looks like they should be ok and probably be up before long. As of Thursday fields were still to wet for much work to progress with the exception of some spraying where the winds were not too gusty and if the weekend forecast pans out we may get an extended break. Well no two years are the same and after reviewing Grandpa’s journal from last year we agreed that will be a good thing. Best wishes to all in this new season and please always remember Safety First!