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