Safety and Taxes

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Partners & Friends,

There has been a lot of activity as we prepare for harvest. We held our fall safety team meeting this week, with Trooper Backstrom presenting during a fierce rainstorm. 😬 Phyllis and I also attended a farmland assessment meeting sponsored by the Farm Bureau and local legislators. Farmland assessment laws are certainly not simple, but they’re probably as fair as can be expected. That said, real estate taxes won’t be coming down significantly anytime soon.

The equipment is mostly ready to roll, and we hope to begin corn harvest on Monday. Early field reports show lower-than-expected moisture levels. Unfortunately, the last several weeks of dry weather haven’t helped test weights. On the positive side, it looks like spraying fungicide this year will deliver significant returns. Bean fields are already turning, and with very little precipitation in the two-week forecast, it’s moving quickly. Final mowing is as complete as it’s going to get. We managed six cuttings of alfalfa this year! In addition, we’ve started a shop remodel/update project. Our grain-handling logistics will be tested to the max this fall.

We also helped manage a booth at the Farm Progress Show, campaigning against the use of eminent domain for CO₂ pipelines. We spoke with several legislators, though we weren’t able to get the governor’s ear while he was there. Federal assistance continues to be a big topic of discussion, and tariffs are hitting farmers from multiple directions.

The Bushnell Show & Sale was well attended this year, with 23 exhibitors—up from previous years. The school year is off and running. WIU faced U of I last week, and Illinois looks to have a promising season ahead of them. Phyllis and I enjoyed a few days in Kansas City for an anniversary trip, and she also celebrated her Class of ’75 fifty year reunion a few weeks ago.

Fall Prices:
Corn: $3.91
Soybeans: $9.79

Stay safe,
Steve

Show Time

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Partners & Friends,

This past week marked the conclusion of the summer fair and show season with the Illinois State Fair—the biggest event of the year for exhibitors in our state. The junior animals arrive at the beginning of the fair, and most of the showing takes place over the first few days. Harper and Abbott showed goats last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Hess Livestock had a fantastic week, with all animals placing at the top of their classes.

On Saturday night, Harper was in the Grand Drive in the coliseum alongside five other excellent goats. While we won’t be part of the Governor’s Sale of Champions this Wednesday evening, it’s been an incredibly rewarding show season overall. All the hard work and dedication to the project truly paid off! 🏆

With summer winding down, harvest is now about a month away. Warm weather is accelerating crop maturity, and both the corn and soybean crops are shaping up to be big ones. 🙂 We’ve wrapped up fungicide applications, mowed roadsides and waterways, baled hay between rain showers, prepped harvest equipment, cleaned out storage bins and drying systems, and even managed to sneak in a little downtime before harvest kicks off. The plentiful rain has made mowing the yard and roadsides a constant battle (not complaining!). Our truck fleet is now ready for a busy haul season.

On the policy front, Farm Bill discussions are stalling in D.C. Here in Illinois, election season is already underway, with petitions circulating. We’re also hosting Texas legislators who are avoiding redistricting votes—giving them a firsthand look at what real gerrymandering looks like. 😳 Meanwhile, the intense fungicide application season has sadly brought four spray plane accidents in just eight days. And in two weeks, Decatur will host the Farm Progress Show.

Locally, school is back in session this week, and college move-ins are next week. Phyllis and I recently enjoyed a suspenseful (and rainy) minor league baseball game with Ali and Betsy at the new Spartanburger stadium. Lincoln’s mountain bike racing season is also underway. Life is busy—and all good!

Fall Prices:
Corn: $3.72
Soybeans: $9.50

Enjoy the rest of your summer,
Steve

Looking Good

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Hay baling

Partners & Friends,

Hope everyone had a great Independence Day! We received nearly 1.5 inches of rain last Friday night, and with the mild temperatures, everything is staying green and growing beautifully. In all my years, I don’t recall a crop looking this uniform, vibrant, and full. It’s truly a sight to see. 🙂

We at the Hess Family Farm are keeping busy with fungicide applications on corn and soybeans, roadside mowing, weed and fence row spraying, summer construction and maintenance projects, goat shows, equipment upkeep, and haymaking. As always, summer is flying by—can you believe the Illinois State Fair is just three weeks away? And school starts again in just over a month! 😳 Be sure to enjoy and savor the moments while you can.

The Big Beautiful Bill has passed and includes some favorable provisions for farmers. Commodity prices are reflecting current crop prospects. 😐

Our newest grandson, Elisha Theodore, and his beautiful mother, Lindsay, are doing well. We’re hoping to spend some quality family time together in the coming weeks. With granddaughters in college, we’ll have plenty of reasons for campus visits.😍 We’re finding ourselves more and more appreciative of our heritage and the perseverance of those who came before us—they’ve made our lives what they are today.

Fall Prices:

  • Corn: $4.12

  • Soybeans: $10.07

Stay cool!

Steve

Interns + Summer Festivities

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Abbott’s baptism

Partners & Friends,

This May and June, we welcomed our very first intern to Hess Family Farm! Cadence Monson, from Washington State, is heading into her junior year at the University of Idaho, where she’s majoring in Agricultural Business. During her three-week stay, she got a hands-on introduction to row crop farming in Illinois.

Cadence’s responsibilities were wide-ranging and immersive: spraying, haying, goat care, horseback riding, crop marketing, a combine factory tour, NH3 application, and more. There wasn’t much downtime—she experienced a deep dive into the daily life and operations of a working farm. After graduation, Cadence plans to return to her family’s wheat farm in the Palouse Hills. Her parents are part of the same peer group as Marcus and Shanna, which made the connection even more special.

We encourage any young person curious about farm life to consider spending time at HFF. It’s a great way to build your resume and explore whether farming could be part of your future.

We’ve wrapped up corn and soybean spraying, NH3 side-dressing, and the second cutting of alfalfa. We’ve also completed several construction projects (thanks, Phil!), done some goat breeding, and baled over 500 small square bales of grass hay, along with 50 big squares and many rounds. Machinery maintenance is ongoing, and we’re currently spraying fence rows and field edges. Waterhemp control remains a major concern. As always, we hold off on mowing roadsides until after nesting season ends (July 1).

The Illinois legislature has concluded its 2025 session. Highlights include:

  • A $0.14 increase in the gas tax

  • Continued support and protection for immigrants in sanctuary cities

  • No resolution yet on the state pension fund issue

We’re thrilled to announce we’re grandparents again! ❤️ Elisha Theodore Luecht was born on June 1st and welcomed home by four adoring siblings. Abbott was baptized at Crossing Camp, and our two oldest granddaughters, Miriam and Cora, had a beautiful graduation party.🎉Harper had a great week at the Illinois FFA Convention.

A special thanks to Uncle Phil, who blessed us and the farm with his presence for a few weeks. He was a tremendous help in tackling our project list and managing the labor force.

Fall Prices:

  • Corn: $4.13

  • Soybeans: $10.06

Soak up summer!

Steve

Concrete and Combines

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Cement pour

Partners & Friends,

There’s a lot happening this time of year on the farm! We’re busy applying NH3, spraying post-emergent chemicals, harvesting hay, spraying fence rows and roadsides, and tackling construction projects.

During last week’s rain delay, we poured a concrete pad and installed a sump in our chemical mixing area. This upgrade will make staging and mixing crop protection herbicides and fungicides much more efficient. One way we stay competitive is by purchasing chemicals wholesale and handling the mixing and application ourselves.

Our updated sprayer has really stepped up our game in terms of application efficiency. The controls are so user-friendly that Marcus insists even I could hop in and run it.🤔 The rain did cause some flooding in our Drowning Creek bottom, but the tiled areas bounced back well. Our tile plow still has plenty of work ahead.

The Big Beautiful Bill in D.C. offers some temporary relief for farmers, but commodity prices remain discouraging—especially considering the planting season we’ve had. That said, we’re seeing some very nice stands in the field. There’s a lot of talk about a hot and dry summer ahead—time will tell.

We toured the John Deere Harvester Works this week—WOW! Our intern, Cadence, is getting great exposure to a wide range of responsibilities. Uncle Phil is here lending a hand for a few weeks, and Lindsay is due any day now.❤️ The school year is finally wrapped up for our grandchildren. Last weekend we visited several graves in remembrance.

Fall Prices:

  • Corn: $4.10

  • Soybeans: $10.00

Steve