Giving Thanks

Partners,

We are taking some time this week to pause and give thanks for all the Lord has blessed us with. As we reflect on the past year we truly feel like a blessed people with our family, our community, our business, this nation, and this wonderful creation we are so privileged to live in. We hope you are able to spend time with loved ones and special friends and strengthen and enrich relationships with the people close to you this season. We plan to have all our children and grandchildren in one place on Thanksgiving Day - something we truly cherish - maybe because as we get closer to the finish line we can appreciate the things that will outlive us.

Even now in the midst of tough economic times and the everyday challenges we deal with (like leaking water lines and leaking fuel pumps and adverse weather conditions), I feel so blessed that the second farmers in this country (Native Americans were the first) chose to leave a place of safety and strike out for a place where they could be free to worship the God of their choosing and engage in pursuits that were of their choosing. May we have the courage today to stand up for what we believe and take action to preserve our God-given rights.

Steve

All Done

Partners,

Finished corn last Wednesday - done with harvest on October 14th! We think this is the earliest to ever finish, which is so fitting to follow the earliest ever planting finish date of May 2nd. We started harvest on the 14th of September and completed on the 14th of October; take out 4 Sundays (we did work one half Sunday doing beans) and the one and a half rain days on September 18th and 19th, and that means we averaged 120 acres a day with the combine. We did not handle as many bushels as last year, but overall yields were average - especially considering the wet weather of June. We feel blessed to have such bounty.

We appreciate all the great harvest help: Wayne, Charlie, Derek, Ryan, Mitch, Jordyn, Chuck, John, Dave, Grandpa, Aaron. 

We also appreciate all the combine riders to help keep the operators alert and on task: Oma, Opa, Finley, Abbott, Judah, Justin, Anne, Dustin, Lindsay, Tina, Zack, Truett.

Thanks again for your trust in us, your help in the work we do, and the part you play in production agriculture.

Steve, Phyllis, Marcus

The Last Acre II

Marcus & Abbott

Abbott

Papa & Judah

Ryan & Baylee Derham, Harvest Crew

Partners,

Weather has permitted harvest to roll along very quickly these lasts three weeks.

We finished soybeans Wednesday night and took a picture of the combine in the same area the planter was when we talked about planting the last acre in the spring--how fitting!

Soybean yields were good considering the weather, although the excess rains in June really did damage, especially on the flat fields without drainage (tile).

Corn harvest is half done and the corn is dry enough now that we can turn the dryer off and direct bin the rest of the crop - this will go fast. Yields are respectable, but again the excess rain really held back the low areas of the fields with poor drainage.

Overall, it's an average year. We are thankful for the great harvest weather, the great harvest crew, and the opportunity to work with this awesome creation - God has provided us with an opportunity to feed the world!

New crop prices:

Corn 3.67

Soybeans 8.54

Please don't hesitate to call or comment or like our post!

Steve

(Photo Credit: Most of the photos on this post were provided by harvest crew members Ryan & Baylee Derham. Thanks!)

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