Next Year Won’t Be the Same as This Year
Trent Brandenburg makes a safe prediction for 2012 as he reflects on 2011. Trent is finishing his year-end bookkeeping and tax work, and hauling grain for January delivery as muddy conditions permit. Trent is happy for the rain, because the ground is not yet frozen, so the rain will soak into the soil and not run off as it would if the soil were frozen. Thus the groundwater supply will be recharged after the very dry late summer.
Trent said 2011 contrasted the wet spring with a severely dry late summer. The drought during corn pollination kept yields at the average level, but very strong market prices supported good financial returns overall. Trent sees 2012 being a challenge as market prices trend lower and farm input costs–seed, fuel, and crop protection chemicals–“are quite a bit higher.” The probability of volatile market prices next year will require careful attention to marketing strategies and the timing of 2012 crop sales.
More from The Field Report
From Drought To Ponding And Replanting
In barely months, Trent's challenges have gone from extreme drought to repeated ponding and replanting. Trent has replanted some corn and soybeans twice, only to have the ponding return yet again. "I don't think I will try to replant corn [...]
Corn And Soybean Planting Done, Some Germinated, More To Come
Trent Brandenburg is happy to have completed his corn and soybean planting by the 15th of May. "It's slow," he said, commenting on the germination delay by the recent cool temperatures. Moderately heavy rains the last few days have caused [...]
Worked Some Fields, With A Sunny Day Could Begin Planting
Trent Brandenburg has "worked a couple of fields, they're barely ready" after several days of rain last week. "If we get a sunny day tomorrow I could plant some," Trent continued. The long-standing extreme drought in central Illinois has been [...]