From the Fields: Keeping positive

Wow, can Mother Nature really change things up in a hurry? She’s starting to show her ugly face, as we approach day 15 of no rain!

This week, we’ve tried to focus on the positives instead of the negative. We were able to finish sidedressing our corn and get the applicator cleaned up, changed out the old blades and knives for new ones and winterized it. It was a good feeling to finally be done sidedressing. It provides the perfect opportunity to get over all the corn and gives us the chance to more closely assess the stand and size the plant up to see what we think its potential will be. This year, it has been very interesting to compare fields that had a wide variance in their planting dates.

We will be getting the combine out to check things over and do some preventative maintenance before we dive into the wheat later next week. The hot, dry weather has really turned the wheat fast, and we are anxious to see what the yields will be this year. We had a couple of unusually late frosts this spring, which did ding some of our acres, but the final damage is yet to be determined. We are praying for rains, but I have to admit it would be nice to have this dry weather to harvest the wheat and get the straw all baled before it cuts loose again.

Hot topic alert: Dicamaba! It seems to be in all the ag headlines these days. Now I’m not going to get on a soapbox and start voicing my opinion. I think we all realize there has been trouble in the past, but I’d like to point out it’s a tool in our tool belts and whether we like it or not we need to have access to it.

We plant dicamba-tolerant beans on our farm and have had great results. We do not do our own spraying, so I can’t say that our success has been all from our doing. I see both sides of the issue, but we need to combat problematic weeds, and dicamba does just that. I know some guys can relate to what I’m saying, as some rely on that product for weeds like waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, giant ragweed and marestail.

So far, we don’t have major problems on our farm with resistant weeds because we are very aggressive on spraying in the fall, a spring burndown using a residual herbicide and a post spray to try and keep these problematic weeds at bay. It’s not cheap, but we don’t have any problems and our fields stay cleaner longer, which gives us a better chance at achieving top end yields.

The markets aren’t too pretty, either. A lot of guys we talk with get down about prices and input costs and whatever else they are stressed about. I understand completely. We have the same frustrations and worries as everyone in these times. I just want to remind everyone it’s easy to dwell on all the negatives, but as I drive around scouting some corn and beans fields this week, I get reenergized about what’s yet to come. The corn is starting to really turn that dark green color we all love, and the early beans are starting to close the rows and canopy. Everything is looking great, even though most of it is late.

Yes, the prices suck, but at least we’ve got a decent stand on the majority of the acres. It’s too dry, but all in all everything is looking good and growing fast with this heat. Inputs are too high, but we can still spend on some things that can help secure that final number in the combine this fall. I guess my point is: Don’t give up on your crops yet. We have a long ways to go, and Mother Nature can always surprise us, good or bad.

Hope everyone is winding down and starting to catch their breath. If you have wheat out, happy harvesting and good luck. Let’s all stay safe and keep our chins up this next week.

Hope, Ind.