Summer Swoon

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Partners,

Summer is rushing by. Since the last post we have received quite adequate rainfall here. The month of July turned out to be a real blessing when the corn was tasseling. The beans responded to all the moisture with lots of growth. We are now expecting close to a trendline yield. The beans still need to make progress filling pods. The corn crop is now starting to dent. The cooler temps have slowed development (that's okay) so harvest will not start as early as we might like. We ended up spraying every acre of corn and beans with fungicide and insecticide. 

We have been keeping busy trying to get all the extra projects done we seem to put off during the rest of the year. Barn maintenance is high on the list. We had a wall blow out in one of the storms in July. To repair it we have to make our own shiplap. We also re-roofed a large section of the barn at Marcus's house, repaired and screwed down the rest of the tin and are now getting ready to paint. We have been mowing the CRP ground that was seeded this year to keep weeds in control till the new seeding gets established. We are also repairing many tile issues that are accessible in the summer with a growing crop. In between we have taken some time off for some family fun. We will be getting harvest equipment out and inspected for the upcoming task at hand.

Ag economy is plugging along. The predicted crop size has set a firm tone to the market. In our travels east and west we saw many crops suffering from too much and too little water. Overall we feel like our situation is one of the better ones. Agriculture is still waiting for all the secondary positions to be filled at USDA--can't understand why the process is so slow. Illinois has passed a budget but now is squabbling over all the details. Economics seem to be good enough that the used equipment market is firm and up-trending.

The family is doing well. Alison is preparing to return for her senior year at Wayland. Shanna is back from a trip to Columbia and Ecuador concerning online WIU classes there.  Many of the grandkids are back to school in the next week or two. During the past 6 weeks we have visited 13 colleges trying to pick a path for Ali post high school.  Phyllis and I celebrate 40 years August 21st. Summer livestock shows are coming to end--State Fair just finished up.

Can you answer the college pic question?

Fall prices:

Corn 3.39

Soybeans 9.17

Keep in touch! Like and comment below.

Steve 

Beetles & Celebration

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Partners,

Fireworks with Friends

We just finished celebrating the birthday of our country last week. What a time to pause and reflect and give thanks to the many who have sacrificed in order for us to enjoy the freedoms we now enjoy. It was good to spend time with family and friends and count the blessings.

Japanese Beetles

Delivering Grain

On the farm we are busy battling weeds and bugs. The dry weather has limited the effectiveness of some of the herbicides used and now we are under pressure from a rather large infestation of Japanese Beetles. There are some trees and shrubs they think are absolutely delicious. They have been in the area for about two weeks and are now moving into the crop fields. We are concerned, now that the corn is tasseling and shooting silks, that they will dine on the sweet tender ear silks. They are also stripping leaves on the outside of the soybean fields and without significant rain we are wondering what the effect on yields will be. We are also delivering grain, sweeping out bins, and still working on drainage projects that can be addressed without harming the growing crop. So for the month of June we recorded .7 inch of rain at Marcus's place, and 1.47 where Phyllis & I live. Forecast for next two weeks looks dry.

State of Illinois budget is making progress, although it is disappointing to see the governor was steamrolled and none of his proposals were included in the package. Democrats say not to worry, we will take them up later--right! American beef is now being sold in China after a 13 year hiatus. 

Ali on left

Softball Moms

Family is doing well. Alison had her last club softball weekend--sad to leave that stage of life. The crew (we managers included) are trying to get some time off in the summer for some fun relaxation. Next week is the 4-H show so time for bucket calves to make their debut.

Fall prices:

Corn 3.65

Soybeans 9.71

Keep in touch and stay cool! Comment & Like below.

Steve

Last Time

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Partners,

Things are slowing down a bit at Hess Family Farm. This past Wednesday Marcus replanted, for a second time, 40 acres of flooded creek bottom. We have not had rain since the last time the creek flooded. We'll now spot plant in some drowned out areas in a few bean fields--not as bad as the corn but we'll plant to keep a crop growing in the field and keep weeds at bay. We finished side dressing NH3 a week ago and the corn fields have really responded to the opening of the ground with the anhydrous knives. We still have the potential for some good yields but the weather for the next 4 weeks will make or break the crop. Some of the lighter timber soil that struggled to emerge is showing unevenness of stand and not growing very fast or even. We got our grass hay for the heifers baled this week along with the second cutting of alfalfa. I attended the Illinois Forage Expo and entered a first cutting alfalfa sample that won its class! We have been keeping the excavator busy repairing tile lines. We are also regularly delivering corn to the local feed mill for processing into hog feed. The never ending job of spraying weeds and mowing are also underway.

The commodity market is heating up with the weather issues on the horizon--corn is at an 11 month high. The new administration stance on several issues is causing a lot of apprehension in the ag sector. Determining what the path for immigration, infrastructure funding, ag trade, and the funding for the next farm bill are looming large. It is evident that our political clout is shrinking and we must use our ammo wisely. The story here in Illinois is the same.

Family is doing well and running full speed into summer activities. There is softball, camping, college visits, summer camps, and squeezing in some vacation days all on the docket. As usual it seems summer will be over before we know it and school back in full swing.

Fall prices:

Corn 3.74

Soybeans 9.23

Keep in touch and stay cool! I'll try to update more regularly about how the weather is progressing.

Steve 

Beanfielding

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Partners,

Summer seems to be rapidly coming to an end. Last week we took a morning to clean up a few weeds in a couple of soybean fields. This practice of "walking" beans brought back some not so fond memories of days growing up when we did this to all the soybean fields we farmed (thank goodness it was not so many acres). Before there were chemicals available like today, for practically every weed control, we would put down grass control, cultivate, and then walk the fields with a hoe or weedhook to get the stray weeds. For several weeks we would, every morning, go to the fields while the dew was still on the plants and start. By the time we quit at noon we were usually soaked with sweat to replace the wetness of the dew in our clothes. Rarely would we walk in the heat of the afternoon--but that was because thee was hay to bale or pastures to mow or cultivating to do. The good old days!

Crops are looking good. The beans are about as tall as I have ever seen them and fields look very even for plant height and health. There is talk of sudden death syndrome moving in due to the damp, warm conditions, but we have not detected any in our crop so far.  August rains will determine the yields. Corn is starting to dent and we will be preparing to start harvest in about a month. Sweet corn crop was excellent! We are mowing, still working on barn restoration, and taking a few days off ahead of the harvest onslaught.

Ag economy is in doldrums right now in about all sectors. Livestock and grains are all feeling the effects of current over production but there are signs of better times ahead. World grain demand has never been higher. Milk and meat demand is holding steady, but with cheap feed, getting the supply to lessen will be a slow process.

School starts in only a few weeks!

Fall bids:

Corn 3.09

Soybeans 9.40

Enjoy the rest of summer!

Steve

Earth, Wind, and Water

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Partners,

It's been warm and wet here these past few weeks. Water is always a big issue on our minds. We are participating in a voluntary water quality study this summer through McDonough Co Farm Bureau and assistance from the University. We are collecting water samples from 2 different farm tiles every 2 weeks that are measured for mainly nitrates. One tile is from a bean field and one is from a corn field. We are also measuring flow rates in gallons per seconds. Our first samples have come back very satisfactory as far as nitrate levels go but that would be expected in such a dry time with so little rainfall. Part of the purpose of this study is to create some baselines to use when the EPA is very soon going to try to regulate fertilizer applications on farm fields. The Toledo green zone last summer was a rude awakening as to what possibilities are if nitrogen blooms find perfect conditions. Part of our strategy of multiple nitrogen applications is to put the fertilizer on when the plant needs it and thereby reduce rates. We will keep you informed how this project turns out. We will see summary results from all the participants in McDonough county in November.

With the near perfect weather our crops look about as good as I have ever experienced in my farming career. It does seem that the corn and bean crop are about as even growing and good stands as they have ever been. We have finished spraying crops - the second pass - and are applying fungicide (with a plane) to selected corn fields. Soybean fungicide will follow soon. We are finishing up delivering our contracted corn sales in July and hope to have the last of the bins cleaned out soon. We have also been mowing and spraying fence rows and creek banks to keep brush from growing. We are also starting on summer projects now like painting, building maintenance, equipment cleanup and repair, waterway rebuilding, tile repair, and brush cutting. Our heifer enterprise has turned into a calf enterprise - we are now feeding 7 bucket calves and selling the heifers as freshened milkers ready to go to work.

Family doing well all around. Alison is going on an 8-day mission trip to Dominican Republic in one week. Summer softball is complete. Marcus and girls are walking and riding bikes in many parades for local Republican candidate. Bucket calf show was last week. Each family should get in some vacation time before summer is over so we can go into harvest refreshed and renewed. Once again, summer is flying by!

Fall Prices:
Corn 3.33
SB 10.32

Stay cool and keep in touch!

We love getting your questions & comments - just click on "Comment" below.

Steve