As harvest comes to a close in many areas of the cornbelt, growers continue to evaluate what they have seen on the yield monitor. Many growers are developing conclusions on the practices that were used in 2014 that they feel most positively influenced their operation. The evaluation of 2014 leads to more structure to the…
With the extraordinary crop yield, additional bushels to haul and excessive rain, harvest has moved at a very slow pace. Due to the excess moisture, many fields around Central and Southern Illinois have significant ruts left from combines and grain carts. It’s important to be aware: how we manage our fields this fall could have…
The 2014 soybean harvest season hasn’t been very cooperative to say the least. Most of the Midwest is experiencing wet conditions, yet – in terms of development – the USDA is calling this crop average. On October 7th, 83% of the soybeans were dropping leaves, just 1% behind the normal pace. Still, harvest remains slow,…
No, it’s not a virus but it can be a self-inflicted ailment. What is this affliction you might ask? Nitrogen deficiencies. As we continue to push for higher yields – via narrower rows and higher populations – the stress we put on our nutrient supply systems continues to increase. Since N is one of the…
As we progress through the 2014 harvest (however slow), many of us are turning our attention toward planning for 2015. Many decisions have to be made over the coming weeks that will set the stage for how successful we can be next year. Once you have landed on a mix of acres, your attention will…
