Looking Forward To Warm Weather
Arctic Temperatures Dip But Crop Prices Spike
Trent Brandenburg was working on his combine this morning in his heated (he emphasized) machine shed. His farming operation is in the middle of the typical central Illinois “zero stretch” of frigid February weather. Trent wants rain because the soil is very dry. “Now, not the day after planting,” he added. Trent is very happy with the recent spike in corn and soybean prices and is hauling grain from his on-farm storage to the elevator.
Trent bought some additional farm ground a year or so ago, and is happy with his purchase. He sees the farmland market as “pretty firm” despite recent low market prices. “It should get better with [market] prices going up.” Trent does not plan any changes to his corn-soybean rotations this year. Trent, like many farmers, is looking forward to spring tillage and planting for the new crop year.
Photo by Bruce Nessett
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 [...]