Harvest is completed...

I am pleased to report that we wrapped up our 2013 harvest on Saturday evening, November 16th.  We had to work through sporadic drizzle and the occasional shower to get the field completed, but it was well worth it. Unfortunately, the very next morning a strong wind and rain storm rolled across Illinois and leveled whatever corn was left in the fields. This same storm system spawned the terrible tornado outbreak that devastated the Central Illinois town of Washington.

After harvest was completed we immediately began applying anhydrous ammonia nitrogen to the fields we plan to plant to corn in 2014.  We were able to work for two days and then rains pushed us out of the fields.  After the rains, unseasonably cold weather has set in and frozen the top 2-4" of our fields which has prevented us from getting back in the fields with the anhydrous applications.  Because the fields were not frozen deeper, we were able to continue to operate our chisel plow and in-line ripper.  We should finish up with our tillage operations tomorrow.  The Younkers Brothers have also began washing up harvest equipment and putting things away for the winter.  

On this Thanksgiving we are very thankful for our family, our bountiful and safe harvest and all our many blessings we have received.  From our family to yours, have a great Thanksgiving!

Last day of harvest

Vertical unload auger broke with 110 acres left to harvest

Waiting on trucks as we harvest the last soybeans on the County Line Farm

Crossing the creek with the 40' MacDon draper head on the combine

Semi's hauling dry corn out of our grain facility to make room for the final corn acres to be harvested

Loading nonGMO corn on a barge at Cargill in Florence, IL along the Illinois River

Getting started with our 20" row strip till bar

View of the strip till bar going through the field

Ron running the chisel plow

Friday, November 8th...

Harvest continues at a rapid pace.  Sporadic rains have delayed our progress; both in harvest and tillage activities, but we are making great headway towards the finish line.  We are down to 465 acres of corn and 140 acres of soybeans.  Yields remain excellent both on the corn and the soybeans.  However, next on the schedule is our June planted corn which does not appear that it will be as good as our earlier plantings.

If the weather holds, we should be able to complete our 2013 harvest by next weekend.  A handful of fields in our area still remain unharvested and each time we get a wind or a heavy rain, more corn stalks fall over. It is time to get this crop out of the field.  Our dryer has proved to be a very wise investment for this particular year as we have dried double the bushels we anticipated.  Many thanks to our employees and spouses who have put in long hours to get our harvest where it is today.  

Harvesting on the Grand Prairie farm

The truck never has to leave the dump on this field

Deep in-line ripping soybean stubble on the Stelte field outside Ashland

Sunset on another day of harvest

Late night refueling of the machines

Rain trying to impede our harvest progress

Moving out dry corn to make room for the remaining bushels still in the field