Waiting For It To Quit Raining

Published On: March 23, 2020

Machinery Ready for Spring Planting

Trent Brandenburg has his machinery ready to roll. “It’s all pointed in the right direction. I’m just waiting for it to quit raining so I can drive it out of the machine shed.” Trent wonders if he will have another wet spring like last year. He is more concerned with the national virus panic than with the markets, even though corn and soybeans are at contract lows on this, the first day of spring. “We’ll get through it,” he said, with the farmer’s eternal spring optimism.

A week of steady, and at times, heavy, rainfall has thoroughly saturated the soil. A quick warm-up would help dry the cultivation zone enough to plant, but warm days have been rare this month in central Illinois. Temperatures in the 60s would be great if they weren’t accompanied by steady rain. Trent’s up-to-date equipment lets him make maximum use of every “planting window”, which fuels his optimism.

More from The Field Report

A Warm and Wet Winter

February 6, 2025|

Trent Brandenburg is getting ready to do some pre-season spraying. He is maintaining his machinery. Except for a burst of zero weather a week or so ago, the winter in central Illinois has been warm and wet. The soil moisture [...]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

December 16, 2024|

Trent Brandenburg and his family wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! When asked what a farmer does in December, Trent replied "It's cold!!" Actually, Trent has been finalizing his seed and crop protection chemical orders [...]

Dry Weather Hastens Harvest

October 25, 2024|

September in central Illinois was one-to-three-inches short of average rainfall. Trent Brandenburg took full advantage of the natural drydown and good field conditions to get his crops from the field to the bin. Trent has completed his soybean harvest. He [...]