Brandenburg Farms - The Field Report

Planting Finally Done

Trent Brandenburg finished his own soybean planting on Friday, June 29, 2009. Some areas have "been wet so long I don't think they will ever dry out" so they were not planted. He estimates his unplanted areas at less than 5%, "just enough to look ugly." Trent is now helping his neighbors finish planting. Even at this late date, reports abound of large unplanted areas, hundreds of acres, in southern Piatt County.

Trent is now completing side-dressing and spraying, although windy conditions have interrupted the spraying activities for a few days. This planting season has been awfully prolonged and stressful for central Illinois farmers. They are now looking forward to a few weeks rest from their rush, to make maximum use of the few "good days" for planting, in between the seemingly endless rains. Now the roadsides need mowing...

..............................................

It’s Not An Ideal Situation

That’s how Trent Brandenburg politely summarized the worst spring planting season in recent memory. Two areas several square miles in size, one just west of Hammond, IL, and the other just east of Cerro Gordo, IL, received repeated heavy rainfalls for week after week, only becoming workeable in very late May.

Trent estimates that he has completed 75% of his corn planting; the remaining corn acreage is “very wet”. Trent scoffs at “90% complete” crop progress reports: “Not around here.” Many of the fields already planted “were really wetter than I like to plant,” Trent explained, noting that he had waited to begin planting. Growers who planted corn early lost entire fields to the constant wetness, requiring expensive replanting.

Some low spots are still too wet to be planted in this part of Illinois. Trent and most other growers are simply planting around the wet spots. They may return to plant the spots if they dry out soon and are accessible from the edge of the field; otherwise they will not be planted.

Trent estimates that he “3 or 4 days of dry weather” away from completing his corn planting. He is considering a switch from 115-day (maturity) corn to 105-day because of the relatively late date for corn planting. “I’m not worried about soybeans” Trent stated. He has confidence soybean planting can be done. “My worry is an early frost” he continued, explaining that the late planting needs a late harvest to maintain desired yields, whereas an early frost would stop crop development short of the expected yield potential.

..............................................

April Fuel Bill Small, Except For Lawn Mowing

Trent Brandenburg reports that his fuel bill for April is light, except gasoline for his lawn mowing. He has not begun planting yet, due to the wet weather. With the current Illinois' statewide average of less than 5% of the corn crop planted, Trent is not alone in waiting to plant. Last year, Trent began corn planting April 24, got rained out, and didn't finish until the second week in May.

A few sunny and windy days will dry fields enough to begin planting. Trent is not concerned about the late start at this point, because the soil temperature is now much warmer, aiding quick germination and a giving a good start to crop growth.

Trent said, "I know more people who haven't planted than have." Most growers who have planted at all have "just planted an eighty [80-acre field] or so," he observed. The corn and soybean markets continue to be a concern.

Trent explains that with a later start to planting corn, the corn prices would be expected to go up, and the bean prices to go down. Recently, the opposite has occurred. Uncertainty over the future of the motor fuel market for ethanol may be affecting corn prices in the near term.

..............................................

Waiting for Warmth

Barring any rain or snow, Trent Brandenburg plans to begin applying pre-planting chemicals to fields some time next week. At this point in time in east-central Illinois, soil temperatures are hovering in the low 40’s which is well below the 50º F temperatures needed for planting to begin.

Concerned with compaction issues which could result from getting into the fields too early, Trent’s best guess for planting action is “at least a week out because it’s way too cold and way too wet now.”

On the upside, winter production seed has come in but waits forlornly in the shed to be planted. The Brandenburgs’ new John Deere 9530 tractor also sits impatiently in its new home, raring to get into the fields as soon as conditions allow.