Fair Week

Todd Easton Coles County July 29 2011: Another hot and mostly dry week across the area as the stressful conditions keep whittling away at the 2011 crops potential. Precipitation was experienced a week ago Sunday (July 24) but only netted 2 to 4 tenths for most of the county. The weatherman only has a few small chances for rain among the hot temperatures in the forecast but we can only hope that maybe at least one of those will deliver the 1 plus inches of rain this crop could really use. The corn crop is showing many signs of stress especially in the May planted corn which is the vast majority of this crop. The May planted corn is at the R3 milk stage and showing signs of some pollination issues and kernel abortion. The April corn is just one stage ahead at the R4 dough stage but that has helped it weather the stressful conditions better than the later planted corn. Soybean fields are hanging in there as they seem to be sitting at the R4 full pod stage waiting for some moisture. Double crop beans are under a lot of stress and need moisture soon to have any potential at all. This week brings us the 158th Coles County Fair with all of its features, fun, festivities, and hopefully the almost traditional fair week rain shower will come in this year and do some good for the crops. Either way see you at the fair!

07/22/11

Todd Easton Coles County July 22 2011: The most used word of the week has clearly been hot as temperatures seem unrelenting across the area. The corn and soybean fields are showing signs of stress in some places which means the heat is probably having some adverse effects on final yields. The grass in the yards is also beginning to turn brown which is another good sign that we need some moisture and cooler temps sooner than later. Hopefully chances of rain that are forecast over the weekend and beginning of the next week will pan out. Pollination is nearing completion for the entire corn crop and producers are hoping the heat did not have a significantly adverse effect but it is too soon to tell. As fungicide applications in the corn fields near completion applicators are turning their attention to soybean field fungicide application as some of the earlier fields are nearing the full pod stage. I can’t stress enough as the heat wave continues take it slow and easy outside.

07/15/11

Todd Easton Coles County July 15 2011: The summer heat came on in force over the weekend and beginning of the week but seemed to be stressing people much more than the crops. Toward the middle of the week a front came through bringing very little moisture but fortunately cooler temperatures. Corn fields are still making great progress with the earlier April planted fields completing pollination and entering the R2 blister stage and the May planted fields at the R1 silk stage. On the growing degree day chart we are over 100 units above the average accumulation. This should help make up for some of the planting delay last spring and not make our harvest season excessively late this year. The yellow Air Tractor planes are furiously buzzing overhead making Fungicide applications on many of the fields and will probably be busy for a week or two. Soybean fields are still looking good as they generally are entering the R3 beginning pod stage. All the fields that I have walked through are at a good waist height with very good pod potential. Both crops showed their health by shrugging off the intense heat earlier in the week. Now all we can do is hope for a few more good showers and reasonable temperatures through the next month to bring both crops to maturity and not diminish potential yield. As we enter the famous dog days of summer please remember to take the proper hot weather precautions for yourselves along with the people and animals around you.

Crop Watcher July 08 2011 I'm Back

Todd Easton Coles County July 08 2011: This year it is amazing what can happen in ten days while you are away. You may have noticed my absence last week in this column as the Family and I had a nice trip out west. While we were gone most of the beans got their much needed herbicide application, the wheat was harvested, double crop beans were drilled, and the corn and beans grew a lot. The early April planted corn has almost completed the early vegetative stages and is now entering the R-1 stage. May planted corn looks to be a week away from the VT tassel stage and has caught up to the earlier corn in height. All of the corn in the area benefited from the inch of rain we received last weekend and at this point has great potential. The soybean fields are looking much better with the weeds among the beans finally turning yellow and disappearing quickly. The crop is generally even at the R-1 to R-2 blooming stages and making great progress also. The wheat crop is in the bin with mixed results as the crop for the most part showed the stress of the exceptionally dry fall last year. Most of the yields I overheard were in the 50’s and 60’s with the best being around 85 bushel per acre. Double Crop beans went in right behind the combines and after the rain should be off to a good and timely start. As we traveled the I-80 corridor the crop condition got noticeably better the closer to home we got. This state and especially this area is in very good shape especially compared to many of the fields out west.

Crop Watcher 06/24/11

Todd Easton Coles County June 24 2011: Another week of steady progress on mother natures part this week but no progress on the producers side of the equation as a short 2 inches of rainfall kept sprayers parked most of this week. Even the later May planted corn fields are almost chest high by now not quite a foot shorter than the early April plantings and both have big potential that will be determined by the next couple months weather. Crop Protection dealers are out setting up fungicide application plans and with the wet humid weather pattern so far I'm betting we will see the yellow Air Tractors make alot of rounds this summer. Since last weeks report the bean crop growth has accelerated seemingly overnight with many fields quickly closing up their rows. It has been frustrating not being able to get the sprayers out to eradicate the growing weeds. I don't often get specific with what we do on our own operation but one thing I am very glad we did in this difficult bean spraying year was apply a burndown with residual ahead of the bean planter in some of the fields with the idea of combating glyphosate resistance. So far it has had the added bonus of keeping those fields much cleaner despite the delay of our post application and will be done on all of my bean acres next year.

Crop Watcher June 17 2011

Todd Easton Coles County June 17 2011: The fields keep getting greener and taller here in Coles County as this week brought us couple of mostly mild rain showers that have fueled the rapid development of the young crops. Note that I said mostly mild as the Wednesday showers were considerably harsher in the southern part of the area and caused another round of pond filling in the low areas. Corn fields are growing at an astonishing rate again this week with some of the earliest fields almost at V8 development and even many of the May planted fields closing their canopy. Soybean fields are getting greener with good soybean stands and in some fields grass. Not surprising with the ample moisture so with their jobs completed in the corn sprayers are making their rounds in the beans a bit early which may mean a two pass year for weed control. Wheat fields have all transitioned from green to almost golden and look much better than I figured they would earlier. Combines should be able to do their job in the crop around the fourth as normal and will hopefully keep the trucks hauling away pretty busy

Crop Watcher 06/10/11

Todd Easton Coles County June 10 2011: It has been a hot week in Coles County which has kicked crop development into high gear. A small shower Sunday Morning that only delivered just over a tenth of an inch of rain barely slowed down sprayers and side dress applicators which are all getting very close to completing their duties for the year in the corn fields. Corn plants are in rapid growth mode with many of the early April planted fields coming into the V6 stage this week and the first of the May planted corn well into the V3 stage. Soybean fields are also greening up nicely this week with the majority that was planted throughout May around the V2 stage of development. Bailers in the area also had a good week to cut and bale a very healthy first cutting of hay and get it stacked in the barn. Looking back at the year ago report shows that we are considerably behind on our crop development from where we were last June but this year’s corn crop seems to be off to a much healthier start in these early stages and hopefully we will get to take that to the grain bin next fall.