From the Fields: Mechanical issues slow progress

WATERMAN, Ill. — Soybean yields on Wessels’ Family Farm are running about typical for the northern Illinois operation, although mechanical issues have slowed the harvest progress this year.

“It was close to the beginning of October when we started harvesting soybeans with our 30-foot platform,” said Brandon Wessels, who is married to Kayla and farms together with his parents, Rob and Teri Wessels.

“We have about 75 acres left and we should probably finish harvesting soybeans on Thursday,” the farmer said on Oct. 27.

“Our beans are ranging from 65 to 80 bushels per acre,” Rob Wessels said. “Last year it was a little less.”

The first problem started this year when two shear bolts broke on the sickle bar. “I got the new bolts put on but I didn’t realize the sickle bar had gone over one of the guards, so it was no longer pulling it even across the head,” Brandon said. “It ended up snapping the arm and that arm is a pain to replace, so we pulled the whole wobble box off and replaced it.”

Fortunately, the farmers had a 925 head sitting in their corn crib that they were planning on rebuilding. “We pulled the wobble box off that and made the swap,” the farmer stated.

But within 10 to 20 acres of resuming soybean harvest, the bracket holding the wobble box broke. “I messaged dad and said we should look for a new grain platform and he was on the same page, so we went on Marketplace and looked around,” Brandon said.

They found a 25-foot platform for sale in Earlville, Illinois. “We brought that home with us and that is what we have on the combine now,” he said.

With the dusty soybeans, Brandon said, his dad hit a big rock on the 160-acre farm while harvesting. “If I was running the combine, the same thing would have happened,” he added. “The rock beat the drum auger pretty bad, so we had to replace it, as well.

“Luckily, we had the 925 sitting in the corn crib that we just pulled the wobble box off of so now I think the chances of the 925 being rebuilt are pretty much over,” the farmer said. “But it served its purpose.”

Sweet corn production on the DeKalb County farm this year was variable. “Sweet corn is typically a good indicator of what your field corn is going to do,” Rob said.

“We had perfect sweet corn that was really nice and then there was some where a windstorm came through and affected the pollination, so we saw a lot of pollination issues,” Rob said. “I was expecting to see some of that when we get into the field corn.”

The farmers plant about 100 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash that they sell at their farm stand. “We had enough jack o’ lantern pumpkins, but the specialty ones did not materialize this year,” Rob said.

“We always plant a little extra and this year I am glad we did.” Rob said. “There is not a pumpkin left out there.”

The farmers are not quite sure what caused the decrease in production this year since they have friends who had a good pumpkin year. “It is hard to put a finger on it because we also had friends that had the same issues that we did,” Rob said.

In September, the Wessels planted a cover crop of radishes and oats on the harvested wheat field and part of the sweet corn field. “We mixed in the fertilizer as well and the cover crop came up nicely,” Brandon added. “We chiseled the field first and then broadcasted the seed.”

“We are trying to figure out the best way to do cover crops,” Rob stated. “I don’t think we are going to find an answer that will be right for every year.”

“We are always looking at things to change for next year and one thing we are looking at is spreading our own fertilizer to save on application cost,” Brandon said. “Especially with the way the markets have been the last few years, we are looking for ways to save money without losing on crop performance.”

The harvest season will be longer than it was in 2025, when the Wessels finished harvesting before Halloween. “Thanksgiving is a decent goal to finish harvesting this year,” Brandon said. “With four weeks to get the corn in, God willing we’ll have it in by then.”

Once the fertilizer is spread after harvest, Brandon plans to use a disk ripper on his corn acres. “If we have time, we’ll do the headlands on the soybean acres and we have a few fields that we need to soil test this year,” he added.

Fall tillage is one of Brandon’s favorite jobs. “When you are planting you are always checking the settings and the same with combining,” he noted. “But when you are out there with the disc ripper, you can set the A-B line and then do a YouTube live stream, which I have done several times.

“It is almost therapeutic, watching the soil get turned over and then you have the contrast between the dirt and the stalks,” the farmer said. “Especially when it snows, then you have the white sheet of snow and the dirt — it is like a breath of fresh air.”