From the Fields: Work doesn’t stop

We finished up with our 2020 season Friday night, Nov. 13. We had outstanding yields this year, and we can’t complain with the way the prices ended being up either. We filled all the bins at home and hauled off several loads in season, filling all our contracts and having some leftover to spot along the way. The markets keep rallying up, and that’s bringing our farm average price per bushel up, which helps make things even better to finish up with. I haven’t figured a farm average for corn or bean yields, but I know it has to be one of the best.

The work’s not done nor does it stop because harvest is over. We had nice weather and the ground was still fit, so we dove in and started sowing some cover crop. It’s just bin-run wheat we saved and cleaned over the summer, but if we can get it started this fall, it will help hold washouts and highly erodible soils in place all winter and into spring before planting time. I’m going to have about 400 acres done before the rains hit Saturday afternoon. We may be able to do more or the rains might be too much and our fieldwork will be done for the year.

The long list of equipment to hit the wash rack is always a daunting task, but a necessity. The weather’s always tricky this time of year, so when we have a couple good days in a row with “warm” weather, we always line up equipment and start blasting off all the dirt and grime so we can put it away clean and ready for the next season.

We will start trying to see all our seed customers to get a plan together for the 2021 growing season. We always enjoy meeting with fellow farmers to talk about what they saw on their farms and how our products helped or hindered them this year. We like to hear good and bad things because the more information we obtain the better we can place hybrids and varieties on farms to maximize the farmers’ potential. New hybrids, new traits and new platforms make it exciting to get into all the data and try and sell what lineup we think will be a home run for each of our customers. It’s one of those things that get you excited already about what’s to come next year before we even know how next year will shape up.

I hope everyone is wrapping up things in the field with harvest. Wishing everyone luck with fieldwork still going on in some areas. Stay safe, everyone.

Hope, Ind.