Once in a Lifetime

Partners and friends,

First Time in My Lifetime! One of the rain events about 10 days ago was a very unique one with the rain placement. We were spraying at my house and applying NH3 on Murphy blacktop. About 2 pm a huge dark cloud rolled from the west to the north and we could see walls of rainfall within a mile of our field operations. We were never rained out and there was not a drop on the Doll Homestead. Bushnell itself received over 1.5 inches in a very short period. The creek--named Drowning Fork due to Abraham Lincoln having 2 of his soldiers die in flood water on the back of our farm-- runs thru Bushnell and splits our farm in half. It was out of its banks that evening without this property receiving even a trace of precipitation. There had been stories told of that happening during wheat shocking in the summertime in the early 1930's but never before had anyone in this generation experienced that! 

 Been planting around showers and wet spots and seed shortages. Our last seed bean variety is due tomorrow (Tuesday) after a long journey from Chile. We have replanted all the established bean fields and finished replanting about 150 acres of corn last Thursday. Spraying is just about complete for second pass on corn and beans. Crops are growing rapidly with the moisture and heat--about time! Baled the alfalfa hay and are preparing to cut waterways and pasture as soon as a weather window opens up. 

The Army Corp of Engineers is preparing to close the locks and dams on the Illinois river July 1 for maintenance and rep-airs. We are delivering the last of our soybeans since this shut down will make the closest delivery point for beans over 75 miles away. It seems that the ethanol market is rebounding ahead of expectations as it follows the crude. Travel seems to be picking up as people just seem to be tired of being holed up.Maybe this recovery will be a v bottom instead of u shaped! Commodity markets are perking up a bit but have a long ways to go to get anywhere close to average for the last 5 years and the growing crop is looking very good-at least around here.

The family is trying to determine summer plans now that all local fairs, camps, and activities are canceled. This is gonna be a summer to make lots of different memories. Here we are still in the midst of a bucket calf project that seems to keep growing. Ali finishes her finals for UChicago this week. We are looking forward to seeing our 5 month old grandaughter and holding her for the first time since the day she was born. Making swense of the future is still a game we all play--especially here in IL.

Fall Prices--

Corn--3.30

Soybeans--8.67

Keep in touch and keep washing your hands

But do not live in fear!

Steve