Trent Brandenburg started planting corn this morning, April 23, 2018. The chilly, wet weather so far this month caused some concern about late planting. Trent usually begins planting corn April 20 if conditions permit, so he does not think he is very late. “It’s hit and miss,” Trent said, referring to the readiness of various […]

The big headlines about tariffs cause everyone in agri-business to fear that foreign countries who buy so much of American ag production will impose tariffs on us in retaliation. Trent is concerned about corn and soybean prices being driven lower by the impact of foreign tariffs on U.S. export sales. “After all,” Trent says, “the […]

Trent Brandenburg does not foresee any big corn and soybean market moves upward in 2018. He believes careful management to maximize yields will provide enough cash flow to maintain most farm businesses. A combination of low yields and lower prices will be challenging for operators paying very high cash rents.

 “Spring planting took forever, so harvest took forever too.” Trent recalled a lot of extra work in replanting after the ponding from the May rains. “The April-planted beans did great,” he happily noted. Overall, Trent’s soybeans did better than expected, because the late harvest of the replanted beans left more time for pod fill. Trent […]

Trent rated his corn crop “better than expected. Not a bumper crop and not below average.” Trent had completed his soybean harvest several weeks ago. His corn harvest was delayed due to frequent rains making field conditions too muddy.

Trent Brandenburg is about two days’ field work away from finishing his soybean harvest. He decided to harvest his soybean crop before starting on his corn harvest. Two weeks ago the moisture content of his corn was 36%, way too high to store.

Trent Brandenburg expects to begin picking corn on September 10, depending on the weather. Recent rains have helped his soybean pod fill, “but we could use some more,” he added hopefully, but then admitting that the next rain might be too late, as the pods are “beginning to turn.”

Trent Brandenburg is pleased with his corn and soybean crops’ recovery from a challenging start to the crop year. “You can’t see the holes,” he observed, referring to how the crops have developed enough to mask some smaller ponded areas.

Trent Brandenburg finished up his soybean replants just last week (third week in June) because “that last pond just wouldn’t dry out.” He estimates his total corn and soybean replanting at 5 to 10 per cent of his acreage, “higher than I thought.”

Asked what a farmer does when 5.5 inches of rain falls on his place overnight, Trent Brandenburg replied,”Stay in the house!” During the overnight between Thursday and Friday, May 18 and 19, a 5.5-inch rainfall was reported at Cerro Gordo. Trent knew of measurements up to 7 inches.