Blue and Gold

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Partners & Friends,

This past Saturday was our Bushnell–Prairie City FFA chapter banquet. Blue blood runs deep in our family. Grandpa Harvey Doll and Grandpa Charles were both FFA members back in their high school days. I participated in FFA all four years of high school and married the chapter sweetheart.❤️ Phyllis tried to join her junior year, but the high school principal wouldn’t allow girls in FFA back then.🙁 This year, and last, all the chapter officers are female. 😀

Marcus served as Greenhand President, Chapter President, and Illinois State Star Farmer. Marcus, Stephani, and Steve all earned American Farmer Degrees. Now the next generation is carrying it forward, using their leadership abilities and taking full advantage of the opportunities FFA provides. Finley is serving as Greenhand President. Harper was installed as Chapter Vice President last week…52 years after I held the same office. And our local ag teacher, Steve Seargant, has retired after a teaching career that helped launch several vocational agriculture teachers. FFA has developed many leaders, statesmen, stateswomen, engaged citizens, teachers, and agricultural business and production professionals.

We have not planted any crops over the last two weeks due to wet conditions. Instead, we’ve been finishing repair and maintenance projects, shipping more corn, seeding waterways and completing yard projects, spraying all ground intended for beans, and taking delivery of the last of our seed. The soil profile is full of moisture, and at the next dry weather window we are ready to roll at full speed with corn and soybean planting.

Fuel and fertilizer prices remain very elevated. Commodity markets aren’t paying much attention to the Iranian war. The drought in Florida still hasn’t broken. Here in Illinois, we’re still holding out hope for new estate tax legislation and an end to eminent domain authority for CO₂ pipelines during this legislative session.

As we look ahead to planting, here are a couple of short videos worth watching on soybeans, frost concerns, and tillage vs. minimal tillage:

Soybean & Frost Considerations
https://youtube.com/shorts/JeHw2M730Z4

Tillage vs. Minimal Tillage
https://youtube.com/shorts/STMw8r73gko

FFA chapter banquet is now behind us. Track season is in full swing. Lindsay and family made a trip to Florida to celebrate Prisca. Goat show season is heating up.

Fall Prices:
Corn: $4.39
Soybeans: $11.19

Steve

Fire!

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Partners & Friends,

We had a bit of unexpected excitement Saturday afternoon. A neighbor from the Checkrow area called to ask if we were burning anything. Occasionally we do burn CRP acreage, but this time it wasn’t us. It turns out another neighbor was trying to expand a food plot for deer hunting, and the fire got away from him.

Two fire departments and a few hours later, things were under control. Thank goodness the wind wasn’t any stronger, and Praise the Lord for the rain and snow last week that helped moisten conditions. We are extremely grateful for the Bushnell Fire Protection District, our neighbors who stepped in to help, Uncle Phil, and the quick response from everyone involved.

We’re gearing up for spring planting. Seed is being delivered, and we’re wrapping up the last equipment repairs. Several building projects are nearing completion, with a few larger ones set to come together later this summer. Grain is moving out as quickly as local terminals can handle the large volumes currently in storage. We’re still hoping to get a few more days of tile installed.

We also have an early planting crop insurance option for soybeans, so we may take the planter out soon just to make sure everything is field-ready. And it’s kidding season for one group of goats, which is always a fun (and cute) time of year!

On the broader front, the war in Iran is creating major disruptions in fuel and fertilizer markets. Fuel prices are up more than 30%, and we’re facing fertilizer increases of up to 40% for what we’ll need in the coming months for planting and side-dressing—more margin squeeze. Commodity prices have firmed some, but most bids are still at best break-even.

Work on the Farm Bill in D.C. is slowly progressing, but if nothing gets signed until a new voting rules bill passes, it could stall things out. Locally, the primary election saw a few incumbents lose their positions. And as of today, another burn ban is in effect. 😬

On a brighter note, the FFA State Proficiency Awards were held yesterday…congratulations to Harper on being a state winner! 🏆 Phyllis is recovering well from knee surgery. We’ve been keeping an eye on the Illini and Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament, and Easter is quickly approaching, a time to celebrate our risen Savior.

Fall Prices:
Corn — $4.64
Soybeans — $11.08

Enjoy spring and the renewal of the earth! 🌍

Steve

Sale Time

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Partners & Friends,

We just completed a successful first-ever online goat sale here at Hess Livestock. There was a lot of active bidding, and the goats are headed to many different places, including Wisconsin and Iowa. We’re hoping for a great show season for everyone and for more opportunities to share superior genetics with others. The next show is in Denver next week. Show your stuff, Harper and Abbott!

This is the time of year when the winter doldrums tend to set in. Cloudy, wet days aren’t very uplifting, so we’re focusing on office and shop projects. Year-end analysis, tax filings, 2026 budgets, input ordering, project planning, and overall business management are all front and center. We’ll be attending several meetings this month and next that should provide useful analysis and data to apply on our own farm. The slower pace of this season can also be refreshing and renewing—for both our souls and our personal goals.

There’s no shortage of national events keeping the news outlets busy. Protecting interests in the Western Hemisphere seems to have taken on a larger role in national defense. Commodity markets remain in very tight trading ranges. Index funds are in a period of serious rebalancing and reweighting. History and perspectives surrounding the Capitol riots appear to be in the process of being rewritten, with some factors minimized or erased. Perhaps the uncovering of major fraud schemes will bring more accountability to government. Illinois legislators are also gearing up for the 2026 legislative session.

Phyllis’ knee surgery is on hold while we wait for dental clearance. College classes are restarting, and first-semester results have been very positive. We’re still trying to wrap up Christmas visits with our kids. It was a wonderful holiday season celebrating the birth of Jesus and the relationships we cherish.

Fall Prices:
Corn: $4.31
Soybeans: $10.36

Steve

'Tis The Season

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Coast Guards Cadets

Partners & Friends,

Only one week until we celebrate the birth of our Savior! After some snowfall—which, fortunately, we only had to push once—the weather is warming, and it appears there will be no white Christmas. Historically, central Illinois only has about a 25% chance of that anyway.

We are hauling corn as fast as the elevators will allow. Yesterday we managed only three loads to TriOak. The shuttle is closed today and tomorrow because they are full and having difficulty scheduling trains. The next two weeks will bring reduced days and hours at all facilities.

Meanwhile, the office crew is putting in long hours handling year-end accounting, finalizing 2025 crop production reports and analysis, and laying the groundwork for next season. We are forecasting margins similar to what we experienced this past year (slim) and “normal” weather—though long-range forecasts are a WAG anyhow. 🤷‍♂️ The goat barn is prepping for a goat sale, and the peer group met this week.

We are eagerly anticipating a Santa Claus rally in the commodity markets. China appears to be slowly buying our soybeans. The amount of farmland up for auction this winter seems staggering. The Illinois Farm Bureau annual meeting was history-making—the first time I can recall a president serving only one term. 🫤 And our national economy must be doing well, with air travel setting records.

We anticipate a quiet Christmas here on the farm, with some family gatherings after New Year’s. Phyllis is dealing with some knee discomfort. Girls’ basketball season is in full swing. And we pray for peaceful, silent nights. 🙏

Fall 2026 Prices:
Corn: $4.29
Soybeans: $10.36

Enjoy the season and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas!

Steve

Giving Thanks

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Partners & Friends,

As we pause this holiday week to enjoy time with family and friends, it’s natural to reflect on all we’re thankful for. Looking back at the origins of this holiday helps us remember how it came to be. The early American settlers—the Pilgrims—endured and overcame great hardship, yet still took time to give thanks for the blessings God had bestowed upon them. Later, in the midst of national strife and division, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.

Now, as a very blessed and comfortable people, we can pause to recognize how fortunate we are and take stock of all we have to be grateful for.

At Hess Family Farm, here’s a short list:

  • Family that is healthy and thriving

  • A very bountiful corn and bean crop this past year (despite limited rainfall)

  • New life, as Elisha joined us on June 1, 2025

  • A family seeking and following Jesus

  • A great employee team—shoutout to Hayden, Ryan, Chuck, Randy, and everyone else!

  • The privilege of working in and enjoying God’s creation each and every day

  • A super successful goat showing season

  • Great friends

  • Bible-believing churches

  • Our families’ heritage—the struggles and sacrifices that brought us to where we are

  • Two granddaughters thriving in college

  • Wonderful neighbors

  • Our own beef supply

  • Good coffee

  • Trees that provide shade and wood for the fireplace

  • Goat babies to remind us of the wonder of new life

  • Cousins

  • Musical gifts

  • Modern farm equipment

  • The town of Bushnell

  • Farm supply and input suppliers

  • Consultants

  • Landowners

  • Financial providers

We hope you’ll pause, make a list of your own, and truly reflect on one of the greatest blessings: Jesus! Stay warm, enjoy the snow, gather your loved ones close, and cherish those relationships.

Steve