Wildlife

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11/17/19 update: Done @ 5 pm yesterday! What a season 2019 has been. Looking forward to a new year and learning from the lessons of this one.

Partners,

Each year at harvest time we get to appreciate—and be frustrated by—the amount of wild critters that are all around us. Some of our fields have up to 10% damage from turkeys, deer, or raccoons. The loss is more substantial in Fulton County, but almost all of our fields are close enough to some trees or stream or railroad that there are some signs of wildlife. While harvesting this past week I got some good pictures of the animal damage—with snow as a background—so I thought I would share. The financial loss is not talked about much and hard to quantify but on the yield maps the spots really stick out.

As of this morning (Friday), harvest is about two days from over. We have been picking corn on snow-covered ground this week. Thankfully there was little on the plants themselves. Snow and combine sieves don't mix well in freezing weather. The yields of the June planted corn are very average. This will be our lowest average corn yield since 2012. We finished beans this past Friday when we harvested the third planting on the bottom ground at my house (planted July 13th). They yielded a respectable 46bpa which seems incredible with that late of a planting date. We give thanks and praise for some growing anomalies. Marcus started NH3 application this week with our new-to-us tractor. We appreciate a big front wheel assist tracked tractor in the hard pull heave tillage. Using this tractor should allow us to plant directly into the NH3 strips next spring and eliminate some tillage, labor, fuel and time.


Commodity prices are drifting sideways in a typical, slow, drawn-out harvest scenario. We are not watching TV coverage of the going-ons in DC. Congress has had the USMCA on the agenda since last winter and now it looks like they don't have time to pass a trade agreement that will help our commerce.


School snow days in November don't happen too often. The extreme cold this early puts a fast spin on chores for the horses and cows. This past Sunday we enjoyed a violin recital.


Fall prices:

Corn 3.71

Soybeans 9.12


Keep in touch,

Steve

What Was It Like?

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Partners,

Something that strikes me often is the amount of sweat, tears, and love that has been poured into this land we are caretakers of today. As we cross fields with equipment that can harvest 4000 bushels/hour I try to imagine what it was like for the first family members here to break out the sod. The prairie grass was probably over 10 feet tall and the soil wet and sticky, and there was no air conditioned house to retreat to for a good night’s sleep after all the toil of the day. Our family’s oral history tells us that the first settler who stayed the first summer on our land (mid-1800s) used an upside down wagon box for shelter as he prepared the farm for his family. He must have had his bravery tested with the coyotes howling at night, and the darkness (without any mercury yard lights), and the rainstorms that are bound to have occurred. What was it like digging post holes by hand for the livestock fence, planning how big of a barn to build (and make it easy to enlarge as the farm grew), and caring for the horses each day (unlike the tractors we use that sit dormant in the shed)? What were the thoughts and conversations that went on around the supper table and in bed at night, where the board of directors slept together?

We have a weather delay right now. 2 inches of snow yesterday and 3 inches this morning (Thursday). Beans are 85% complete and corn is about 70% done. The last corn is not going to dry down much more in the field—testing in the middle 20s. We ran hard Monday and Tuesday to get the wet bin filled up so we could dry during this weather delay. Seed bean harvest is complete so no more combine cleanings. :) Plenty of details to attend to with equipment and office work.

The trade dilemma is getting a bit tiring. Who blinks first is going to tell the story of how the resolution is going to be. Personally, I wish Congress would work on something that will move this country forward instead of chasing what the President said in a phone call. Anyone who has studied history or seen Hamilton or Lincoln knows that politics have been a part of our governance and I am thankful we live in a country where we can discuss them freely.

Our house remodeling project is finally in the last stage. We’re hoping to celebrate family Thanksgiving here. It’s hard to believe first quarter is already over and report cards issued. It seems this whole year will be one we will easily remember. Interesting how the challenging times are the ones we recollect and reach back to for wisdom.

Fall prices:

Corn 3.85

Soybeans 9.16

Comments welcome.

Steve

Teamwork

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Partners,

People are what makes a university rugby team have an undefeated season, and people are what makes this farm operate. The team we are operating with this year here at Hess Family Farm is diverse and hardworking. There are 14 team members that have participated so far this harvest season, each bringing a special set of talents to the effort to get the crop year of 2019 in the books. We appreciate everyone's contribution to what has been a smooth and fast-paced gathering of the sheaves so far this fall. Marcus and I could not do this without all of the hands that are assisting with so many things. We are so thankful!

We are a bit over 50% complete with corn and soybeans at this point. Yields are not as good as the last several years but I am amazed what the hybrids and varieties today can produce under such stressful weather compared to when I began my farming career over 45 years ago. There is something about harvesting a field and seeing the fruits of a year’s labor come to fruition that really gives a sense of accomplishment and joy. We have delivered over 40,000 bushels of corn to the Havana river terminal and over 10,000 bushels of soybeans. We have storage for the rest of the crop. This year about 2/3 of our beans are seed beans grown to be sold commercially for next years crop. Part of this commitment involves cleaning the combine thoroughly between fields to prevent any contamination from other varieties - a 2-hour dirty task.

Nationally the crop is coming in very close to expectations. Yield projections are proving surprisingly accurate. Marcus and I listed our best estimate for each of our fields 2 months ago to be able to come up with a marketing plan. We were within a few percentage points. We do have a concern for stalk strength and grain quality as the days march by. The poor farmers in the Dakotas and Minnesota that received the early snow storm will have a great challenge to harvest that remaining crop.

Family is doing well. We attended one of the UChicago rugby games a couple of weeks ago and watched Alison's team remain undefeated. Please let me know if you know what a SCRUM is. It was my first time watching official collegiate play. Go Maroons!


Current Prices:

Corn 3.72

Soybeans 9.08


Stay Safe!

Steve

Start & Stop

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Partners & Friends,

Harvest has begun. We have used two windows, just like last spring, to harvest about 450 acres of corn. We tried beans one day but moisture was over 16%. The yields so far have been good. Right at trendline, even though the crop was stressed by poor planting conditions and then nine weeks of very little rainfall, and solar minimum thrown in the mix too. We should be right around trendline yields for corn which will be fine, given all we have been thru. Early bean yields from other farmers have been surprisingly above and below expectations.The jury is still out on the late June planted corn and beans—they are not finishing well and we will soon get a frost. Thank goodness the cold weather waited as long as it did!

Equipment is running well as can be expected for its age. It has been several years since we ran a combine into its sixth season so a few breakdowns are expected. Our crew is getting used to the pace and routine of Hess Family Farm. We have six high school and college helpers this fall. We first harvested our non-GMO corn and are shipping it now for fall delivery. There are some challenges harvesting the fields with replant spots where the moisture is still over 35%. Over half our beans are now ready so it looks like next week will be a good harvest window for them.

Politics are getting more heated. I wish we would concentrate on the business of running this country and taking care of the constituents and less time on personal attacks. Our local FSA office is dealing with computer issues, poor and late communication concerning government program implementation, and constantly changing rules. The WASDE reports have come under great suspicion with the acres and yields reported when it seems so obvious that all that info is so readily available it should be cut and dried. In Illinois we are feeling the effects of an increased tax burden, especially motor fuels and liscence registrations.

All kids and grandkids are back in school. We took Ali to Chicago and she started class this past Tuesday. Good to be back into routines again and see everyone studying hard and learning so excitedly.

Fall Prices:

Corn 3.71

Soybeans 8.75


Keep in touch!

Steve

Two Weeks

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Partners,

Marcus and I conferred this morning and decided we would try to start this year’s harvest in two weeks, around the 23rd of September. This is about 2 weeks later than normal, which seems strange since we did plant corn in April this spring. The early planted bean fields are starting to turn but it seems doubtful that we will combine any of those before October. We will certainly be harvesting into November, and likely beyond if the wet weather forecasts hold true. We have been busy getting equipment ready, preparing bins, shipping out the last of the corn, repairing tile blowouts, mowing roadsides and waterways, barn repair, and other assorted jobs. I cant wait for harvest to begin so we can concentrate on one task! We received enough rain two weeks ago to provide some very welcome relief from the nine weeks of less than .75” total precipitation. The crop looks like it will be an average one--if the frost is later than normal. Cash prices seem to be anticipating plenty of bushels to go around. I will try to communicate as soon as we start with yields and moisture.

News that we are going to enter into trade talks with China sparked the market some this week. The world of trade will be different in the future but in the end there are only so many bushels of each commodity to go around. The swine flu in China seems to coming under control. Speculation is that Asian Swine Flu will attack this country at some point--there are no known vaccines and it is creeping across southeast Asia now.

The family is doing great. School has started for everyone except Ali--she starts October 1. After everyone enjoyed some vacation time this summer it was good to get back to the routine of classes. Enjoying lots of fresh garden produce . Growing conditions have been good for that!

Fall Prices:

Corn--3.40

Soybeans--8.17


Keep in touch,

Steve