Week ending May 28th...

The majority of the week was spent indoors catching up on paperwork and jobs inside the shop. We received anywhere from 1.27" to 2.61" of rain and that was before today's rains which totaled another 1.1". The crops are growing, but warmer temperatures would be welcomed along with some drier soil conditions. We also discovered an outbreak of Black Cutworm in a few of our fields and we will be spraying baythroid as soon as the soil dries out enough to get the sprayer across.

On another note, three tracts of almost perfect, well-drained central Illinois soils sold for an average of $11,300 at auction this week. That's a new record and proves that the land market is still red hot. As we mention in our core competencies, our location and the soils around our immediate area prove to be in hot demand.

Since I didn't have any photos from the week I decided to post a few pictures of how Grandpa Mears used to plant. As you can see, he was an entrepreneur with an "all-in-one" planting rig. We now drive 45 miles south of our base of operations and plant these farms in a day and a half. I'm sure Grandpa just smiles and shakes his head in amazement from the heavens above.

Enjoy your Memorial Day and please remember to proudly display your American flag this weekend in remembrance of those who have given their lives to protect our freedom.

May 1967