Easter...

12-18 inches of snow a week ago and now 60 degrees on Easter.  Isn't the weather in Central Illinois interesting?  Mostly a week of watching the snow melt and working inside on the spring equipment.  A few more trees were cut and burned along with lots of winter fun sledding in the snow.  On Friday the weather was much warmer which allowed us to deliver some seed corn to customers who are thinking planting season may soon be approaching. 

The forecast is calling for high's in the upper 50's and lower 60's towards the weekend which I believe will cause some field cultivators to hit the fields this week.  If the forecasts don't change, I think we will see a few try planting some corn the week of April 8th...

Enjoying the fresh snow sledding 

Snow planter 

Biggest snow we have received in years 

David shining up the planter tractor 

Remember dying Easter eggs....?

Week ending March 23rd...

Spring is here...only according to the calendar.  It may officially be spring, but the weather outside says it's still winter.  As I type, we are experiencing our heaviest snow storm of the winter with 8" already on the ground and more yet to come.  Yesterday it was in the mid 50's and the ground was just getting dry enough to think about working with the field cultivator.  Despite the snow, the promise of spring planting appears to be near as the 10 day forecast finally has a day or two in it with 60 degree temperatures.  Although most in our area believe it will be April 15th or 20th before the ground is warm enough to plant.

This past week we wrapped up work on our new planter and moved it outside.  We calibrated the Force CS system, checked for leaks and got it set up in our JD 2630 display.  We also began work on re-spacing the front duals on the planter tractor, changing the oil and cleaning it up after it was in the mud all winter working with the grain cart.  We also spent a little time burning off road ditches and waterways along with trimming trees along field borders.  It was also a good opportunity to check the usual spots for newly unearthed rocks, bricks, etc. that show themselves after fall tillage and winter weather. 

Calibrating the Force CS system and checking for leaks 

Configuring the front duals on the planter tractor to accommodate 20" rows 

A good time of year to find obstacles Mother Nature has uncovered over the winter 

The new owner of our 1st strip-till bar and dry cart came to pick up his new purchase.  We still have the 10 ton poly dry cart for sale - $47,500.

http://www.jennersales.com/equipment/used-equipment

Select "air-seeders"

Week ending March 16th...

No corn planting here.  Winter continues to blanket our area with cold temperatures and the occasional snow flakes.  Last year at this time we had applied the last of our anhydrous ammonia and a few of our neighbors had even planted some corn.  A year ago the high temperatures were in the 80's.  The recent 10 day forecast doesn't show any day time highs above 50 degrees, so we continue to get machinery ready and take delivery of the last of our seed corn. 

We have all but wrapped up hauling corn to the elevator from our bins until the markets respond with better prices.  Recent rains have replenished our soils and all of our tiles are running.  There is a little wiring left to be done on the planter and a few calibrations, but otherwise we are ready to pull the planter out of the shop.  Crop insurance decisions have been made and we are ready to get started on the 2013 growing season. 

Installing the Force CS insecticide system

In order to plant 20" rows, we had to widen the tires out on the planter tractor



David washing off the truck and trailer

Loading the semi for another trip to the CG&B at Naples

 

Work continues on the planter; adding the starter fertilizer system and liquid Force.  Last year at this time we were applying spring anhydrous ammonia...  Farmers over in Western IL even started planting March 7th. 2012.  Don't believe that will happen this year as we have a small amount of snow on the ground and the temperatures remain cold. 
 

 David has the starter tank mounted and planter plumbed with hoses

 

 A little early, but our new head cart trailers have already arrived.  Guess we will use these in six months...

 

Time to upgrade the office safe.  Notice the machine underneath the gun safe.  This machine allowed two guys to take this 750# safe down the basement stairs with ease. 

Owen and Max and their snowman earlier in the week



Week ending February 23rd...

Another week closer until planting begins.  However, the biggest snow storm of the year quickly dashed our thoughts of planting corn.  In the pictures below we are installing our starter system.  Once this is completed, we will partner with Jenner Sales and add a liquid Force CS system which we plan to inject in our starter line and put in the furrow along with the starter fertilizer.  This process will take considerable time and is why we've already got the planter out and started working on it.

National Ag Statistics Service released their initial yield estimates by county and for those who took the GRIP/HRO policies there are some significant crop insurance payments.  This will help ease some of the pressure the drought of 2012 created by producing the worst yields since I began farming or since 1988 for my father.  Farmers are an optimist group and we continually believe "next year will be better" - sounds like a Cub fan...
   

Working on the new planter 

 Owen enjoying our biggest snow of the year

Max helping scoop the driveway 

Our first load of seed corn has arrived

Week ending February 16th...

45 days until planting usually begins in our area...  The winter days and months have gone by quickly.  We continue to haul corn from our bins to end users along the Illinois River.  When the weather doesn't allow us to work outside, we have been indoors getting spring equipment ready.  Next week, we will bring our new planter to the shop and begin installing the liquid starter fertilizer and Force CS system.  We will also be taking our first load of seed corn on Monday. 

Last week we attended our local agronomy group's bi-annual meeting in Jacksonville.  There we discussed past and future agronomic practices to help improve our yields.  Later we spent a long weekend with Wyffels Hybrids in Cancun.  Upon our immediate return from Mexico, we loaded up and drove down to Louisville to take in the National Farm Machinery Show. 

The time to be ready for spring planting will soon be upon us...  Have a great week!

Another load of corn heading to the IL River

 

 Loading corn into the trailer from the grain bins

MC Agronomics agronomy meeting in Jacksonville 

Sunrise in Cancun

 

 

Week ending February 2nd...

Last weekend Moon River Designs came out to the shop and applied our business' logo and DOT # on the new truck we recently purchased.  Just a few more finishing touches and it will be ready to haul it's first load of corn to the elevator.  Early in the week we found out we had successfully passed a random IRS audit.  This was the first time we have ever been audited and thankfully, it went well.  Later in the week a cold front smashed into the unseasonably warm weather we had (60-70's) and dumped a much needed 1.75" of rain on our farms.  This rain was enough to get all our tile lines running which is a good sign as we move closer to planting season.  

Later in the week we attended the Top Producer Seminar in Chicago.  This is a great seminar we try to attend annually.  All the market guru's agreed that we will either have high prices or low prices....all depending on if the drought is over and we can raise an average to above average crop.  Jerry Gulke speculated that if we plant 99.3M acres of corn and raise a 160 bpa trend line yield, our farm gate price will be $3.40.  If we have another drought and raise 125 bpa with the same 99.3M planted acres, then he suggests price will be $7.30.  And Allen Motew who is a Meteorologist from QT Weather showed maps shown below that suggest we will have another hot and dry July and August.  However, he believes their is also a good chance for those of us who comprise the Mississippi River basin to have a wetter than average spring.  So the take home message was nobody knows and time will eventually tell.  It was good to catch up with friends and business partners while in Chicago as well as take in some of the Windy City's local food establishments.  

Have a great week!

Kevin & Katrina Periman of Moon River Designs applying our logo and DOT # on the "new to us" semi

The finished product - we replaced a maroon lightning bolt on the hood with some "less bold" pinstripes...

 The tile are finally running!!!

The first time our large tile project from Fall '11 has ever really had any water coming out of it 

Summer weather maps from the Top Producer Seminar - doesn't look good for July and August...