The Field Report

July 8, 2024|

Replanting Done, Corn and Beans Look Good

Trent Brandenburg has replanted his few ponded field “wet spots” as many as three times. The replanted areas are “thin,” Trent observed, because “It has been too wet. But at least [replanting] will keep the weeds down.” Trent is now mowing and scouting his fields for any problems. Despite the continuing rains, Trent has yet to see any fungus disease emergence. He will keep scouting and apply crop protection chemicals if needed.

The old “knee high by the fourth of July” saying about corn plants has been made obsolete by modern corn genetics. Trent has corn that is tasseling and is nearly six feet high today, July 8, 2024.  The improved genetics enable the corn plant to germinate better in less-than-optimum conditions and thrive in wet or dry field conditions, producing hundreds of bushels of corn per acre without irrigation. The excellent soils of Piatt County help yields as well. An unimproved eighty-acre field in southeastern Piatt County is being advertised for sale at $19,950 per acre. Investments like this require a capable operator  to maximize the investor’s return, year after year.

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Tax Time Around the Farm

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  Late Winter Means Tax Time and Spring Equipment Preparation Trent Brandenburg is "doing my taxes" and added, "I do what my accountant tells me." Taxes are not Trent's favorite farm chore but has to be done anyway. The mid-February big snow and deep freeze [...]

We Are Not Having A Normal Winter

January 10, 2020|

  Winter Rains & Flooding Following 60 Degrees in January Trent Brandenburg believes the jumbled, abnormal weather patterns of 2019 "are not done yet." He continued, "It's supposed to get cold in December and stay cold until March. But here we are having 60-degree days [...]

How Are 200-bushel Corn and 65-bushel Beans Not Good?

December 10, 2019|

  Snow Before Thanksgiving As the 2019 harvest dragged on, producers found themselves contending with not only wet fields but also snow-covered fields to slow down field work even further. With all of the year's challenges, yields were still quite respectable. Trend Brandenburg asked "How [...]

Gonna Be A Lo-o-o-ng Harvest

October 22, 2019|

Trent is about 35% done with his corn harvest. He wants to get his beans out first. The corn maturity is also irregular and spread-out for the same reasons as the beans.

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