A Season of Blessings
This year brought us good weather, strong crops, and, finally, better grain prices. We kicked off harvest at noon on September 10, once the corn had dried down enough to get started.
Dad sticks with his tradition of planting early corn in the back 40, since that field tends to soak up water from all sides. For three years now, we’ve been working with Gayl Wyss on a plan for a new main tile, but the neighbors haven’t been ready to jump in. Maybe next year, if the timing or costs line up better.
Weather Challenges and Fungus Pressure
Of course, the season had its share of challenges. On July 29, heavy winds and rain swept through, with downdrafts up to 100 miles an hour flattening parts of our fields. Matt’s ground took the brunt of it, while Angie’s held up a little better.
The biggest curveball this year was the appearance of a new fungus — tar spot — in Woodford County. We put on extra foliar micronutrients and fungicides, and that seemed to help. August rains quit a little early, which hurt both crops, but most of our corn still turned out great, and soybeans were above average.
Planting early soybeans didn’t give us much of an edge this time, and a few bean fields had some herbicide hiccups. They weren’t much to look at, but the yields held up.
Weather Challenges and Fungus Pressure
One thing we missed this fall was having Mom and Dad at the farm during harvest. Even so, Dad was impressed by the size of the ears we hauled in.
We were lucky to have a great crew again this year.
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David, Tom, and Frank did most of the driving.
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Brian and I handled the auger cart and harvesting.
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Tom, Sam, and Jeff contributed to the combine and fieldwork.
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Lisa and Lauren kept us fueled with lunches and dinners.
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The Roanoke elevator kept the doors open late for us — sometimes until midnight — though most nights we finished up by nine.
We owe a special thanks to Frank, who retired this year after ten years of driving for us. He’s stepping back now to spend more time at home with his wife.
Equipment and Field Updates
We made a few key upgrades this year. The new corn head let us get lower and pick up more downed corn, and two new tillage tools helped cut down on trips across the fields. The newer combine only broke down once, and that was on the last day. Dad’s old R62 Gleaner fired up and finished the job, just like it used to.
We managed to lock in fertilizer prices just before Hurricane Ida, which turned out to be a blessing since nitrogen and dry fertilizer costs have doubled since then. With all the supply chain issues, everyone’s wondering what next year will bring.
Looking ahead, we’ll be changing up some of our rotations.
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Angie’s 40s will be combined into one 80-acre corn field.
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HLW’s 42s will combine into an 84-acre soybean field.
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Marie’s will add 25 acres of corn.
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CG will return to soybeans for the first time in 15 years.
We’re also giving cover crops a try for the first time, planting 65 acres of rye to help the soil, hold moisture, and keep weeds in check.
A Note from Tom
Tom summed it up well in his update:
“My hat’s off to Joe for doing a stellar job of planning the season and upgrading equipment to get done faster. InterTRASHional trucks notwithstanding. When they run, they run great, when they don’t—well, they don’t.
The new Krause ripper did a bang-up job, and even the old Blue Jet ripper we resurrected got the job done. We finished tillage just before the heavens opened up. Glad that ain’t us still slugging it out in the mud.
Other than being done for the year, the most exciting thing is that we finally have all our equipment under roof. It didn’t take long to fill the new hoop shed, but everything is shedded now—even if it was in a drizzling rain.”
Looking Ahead
Even with the wind, disease, and rising input costs, Harvest 2021 gave us plenty to be thankful for. Good yields, steady prices, and the help of family and friends made it a season to celebrate.
As we look toward next year, with new rotations, cover crop trials, and all the supply chain questions, we’ll hold onto the blessings this harvest brought.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous year ahead.
—Joe (with notes from Tom)
