Last Time

/

Partners,

Things are slowing down a bit at Hess Family Farm. This past Wednesday Marcus replanted, for a second time, 40 acres of flooded creek bottom. We have not had rain since the last time the creek flooded. We'll now spot plant in some drowned out areas in a few bean fields--not as bad as the corn but we'll plant to keep a crop growing in the field and keep weeds at bay. We finished side dressing NH3 a week ago and the corn fields have really responded to the opening of the ground with the anhydrous knives. We still have the potential for some good yields but the weather for the next 4 weeks will make or break the crop. Some of the lighter timber soil that struggled to emerge is showing unevenness of stand and not growing very fast or even. We got our grass hay for the heifers baled this week along with the second cutting of alfalfa. I attended the Illinois Forage Expo and entered a first cutting alfalfa sample that won its class! We have been keeping the excavator busy repairing tile lines. We are also regularly delivering corn to the local feed mill for processing into hog feed. The never ending job of spraying weeds and mowing are also underway.

The commodity market is heating up with the weather issues on the horizon--corn is at an 11 month high. The new administration stance on several issues is causing a lot of apprehension in the ag sector. Determining what the path for immigration, infrastructure funding, ag trade, and the funding for the next farm bill are looming large. It is evident that our political clout is shrinking and we must use our ammo wisely. The story here in Illinois is the same.

Family is doing well and running full speed into summer activities. There is softball, camping, college visits, summer camps, and squeezing in some vacation days all on the docket. As usual it seems summer will be over before we know it and school back in full swing.

Fall prices:

Corn 3.74

Soybeans 9.23

Keep in touch and stay cool! I'll try to update more regularly about how the weather is progressing.

Steve 

Beanfielding

/

Partners,

Summer seems to be rapidly coming to an end. Last week we took a morning to clean up a few weeds in a couple of soybean fields. This practice of "walking" beans brought back some not so fond memories of days growing up when we did this to all the soybean fields we farmed (thank goodness it was not so many acres). Before there were chemicals available like today, for practically every weed control, we would put down grass control, cultivate, and then walk the fields with a hoe or weedhook to get the stray weeds. For several weeks we would, every morning, go to the fields while the dew was still on the plants and start. By the time we quit at noon we were usually soaked with sweat to replace the wetness of the dew in our clothes. Rarely would we walk in the heat of the afternoon--but that was because thee was hay to bale or pastures to mow or cultivating to do. The good old days!

Crops are looking good. The beans are about as tall as I have ever seen them and fields look very even for plant height and health. There is talk of sudden death syndrome moving in due to the damp, warm conditions, but we have not detected any in our crop so far.  August rains will determine the yields. Corn is starting to dent and we will be preparing to start harvest in about a month. Sweet corn crop was excellent! We are mowing, still working on barn restoration, and taking a few days off ahead of the harvest onslaught.

Ag economy is in doldrums right now in about all sectors. Livestock and grains are all feeling the effects of current over production but there are signs of better times ahead. World grain demand has never been higher. Milk and meat demand is holding steady, but with cheap feed, getting the supply to lessen will be a slow process.

School starts in only a few weeks!

Fall bids:

Corn 3.09

Soybeans 9.40

Enjoy the rest of summer!

Steve

Earth, Wind, and Water

/

Partners,

It's been warm and wet here these past few weeks. Water is always a big issue on our minds. We are participating in a voluntary water quality study this summer through McDonough Co Farm Bureau and assistance from the University. We are collecting water samples from 2 different farm tiles every 2 weeks that are measured for mainly nitrates. One tile is from a bean field and one is from a corn field. We are also measuring flow rates in gallons per seconds. Our first samples have come back very satisfactory as far as nitrate levels go but that would be expected in such a dry time with so little rainfall. Part of the purpose of this study is to create some baselines to use when the EPA is very soon going to try to regulate fertilizer applications on farm fields. The Toledo green zone last summer was a rude awakening as to what possibilities are if nitrogen blooms find perfect conditions. Part of our strategy of multiple nitrogen applications is to put the fertilizer on when the plant needs it and thereby reduce rates. We will keep you informed how this project turns out. We will see summary results from all the participants in McDonough county in November.

With the near perfect weather our crops look about as good as I have ever experienced in my farming career. It does seem that the corn and bean crop are about as even growing and good stands as they have ever been. We have finished spraying crops - the second pass - and are applying fungicide (with a plane) to selected corn fields. Soybean fungicide will follow soon. We are finishing up delivering our contracted corn sales in July and hope to have the last of the bins cleaned out soon. We have also been mowing and spraying fence rows and creek banks to keep brush from growing. We are also starting on summer projects now like painting, building maintenance, equipment cleanup and repair, waterway rebuilding, tile repair, and brush cutting. Our heifer enterprise has turned into a calf enterprise - we are now feeding 7 bucket calves and selling the heifers as freshened milkers ready to go to work.

Family doing well all around. Alison is going on an 8-day mission trip to Dominican Republic in one week. Summer softball is complete. Marcus and girls are walking and riding bikes in many parades for local Republican candidate. Bucket calf show was last week. Each family should get in some vacation time before summer is over so we can go into harvest refreshed and renewed. Once again, summer is flying by!

Fall Prices:
Corn 3.33
SB 10.32

Stay cool and keep in touch!

We love getting your questions & comments - just click on "Comment" below.

Steve

Family

/

Partners,

The last several weeks have provided some opportunities for us to visit several of you away from the farm. This time for refreshing and renewal is vital for us to keep perspective about what we do here, and also provides a chance to deepen and build relationships with those who we work with on a regular basis. We truly appreciate all of you landowners and support staff for our operation. We want to say THANK YOU for all the time and trust you give us.

Harper and Alison are back in school. The past couple of months seem like a whirlwind now, but it's been a good and productive summer.

Harvest is about two weeks away. The list of projects has shortened. We are anticipating average trend-line yields. Another year of cooler than normal temperatures (What is going on with climate change? Another post for later.) will show us what kind of crop can develop without temperature stresses. The above average rainfall in June was the big disruption to crop development this year. Corn and bean prices have been falling for the last eight weeks from their summer spike; the consensus now is we need to get in the fields and really see what is out there.

Fall prices:

Corn 3.48

Soybeans 8.62

Keep in touch!

 

Livestock

/

Livestock has been a lifeblood of Midwest agriculture since settlement began. Here in McDonough County the Doll and Hess families have always had some sort of "mortgage lifter/cash flow supplier" to diversify the farming operation and utilize some of the less productive cropping ground involved in the farming operation.

The Doll family has had livestock on the homestead that Phyllis and I live on since it was begun in 1869. Mainly a cattle operation known for their fat cattle, the farm has also been home to swine, sheep and chickens. Tales of "pigville" and chicken butchering and spring calving run deep in the history of this family farm.  We are reminded that a farming operation diversified can develop many synergies to make it even stronger and more sustainable.

My side of the family have been dairy farmers since before coming to this country four generations ago.  Once in the United States, the Hesses had ventures in Wisconsin, then Peoria County, then in the McDonough County area. Life in our family has been centered around chores for many generations. When we sold our milking herd three years ago we were the last commercial dairy in the county. Just this past week after attending the Fulton County Fair, Alison expressed that she does miss showing dairy cattle.

After the sale of the milking herd, we began custom feeding heifers until this past January. Then we started up again last week when we got in 48 new heifers with more expected to arrive soon, so our barns are filling up again. There's something in our blood that compels us to continue raising animals and watching God's creation grow. We are also feeding 25 chickens that will start supplying eggs soon. Along with the cats and dogs there is always something new and lovable here at Hess Family Farm.

We're getting weary of all the weather talk. Here on our farm we have recorded somewhere in the neighbor hood of 25 inches of rain since May 1. Keep in mind, normal for the entire year is around 36. These last couple of weeks provided a welcome respite from precipitation. We were able to get our beans sprayed with fungicide (lots of disease arising with all the moisture and humidity) and we are able to mow roadsides and waterways to combat the ever growing grass and weeds. We finished emptying our bins a couple of weeks ago and are working on maintenance projects and vacations and readying equipment for the upcoming harvest.

We flew over our fields this past week to survey what the growing crop looks like. It appears our multiple nitrogen application strategy is helping with all the nitrogen loss due to the excess water (see previous blog post by Marcus). Our sweet corn crop is looking good which is usually a indication of what the field corn will be like. The bean fields are really showing the effects of too much water in the low places. The weather in August will determine the bean potential. Both crops are damaged by the water excess. We also have about 45-50 acres that are drowned out and totally lost due to flooding.

The ag economy is concerned by lots of government entanglement. The Renewable Fuel Standards released this past week were not supportive for corn usage. The EPA's Water Of The United States (WOTUS) proposed rules could be interpreted as government control of private property. Here in Illinois the new governor's attempt to improve the business climate seems to be going nowhere. Business as usual will not sustain us in the future. We must be nimble and quick to adapt to the challenges coming our way constantly.

Family is doing well. I just celebrated a birthday divisible by 10. Phyllis and Alison made it a special day! Lindsay and Keith have announced they are due next February and Alison is spending a week in Virginia on a work mission trip. Hard to believe less than month to the end of summer and school starting!

Fall bids:

Corn 3.73

Beans 9.70

Enjoy whats left of the summer!

Steve