“Real Good!” Harvest Progress Reported
Trent Brandenburg is three-quarters done with his corn harvest and one-third done with his soybeans. “I wish it would dry out some more so I could cut beans,” Trent said, alluding to recent heavy rains in he area. Overall, Trent sees the crops as well above average, but not record-setting like 2014. Trent began his corn harvest on September 10, with harvested corn moisture “in the mid 20s (%)”. Due to a drying discount at the elevator, Trent began his harvest. The moisture is running 15 to 17% now.
The dilemma with the harvested corn and soybeans is whether to store or sell. With market prices the lowest in years, will they go up enough to recoup the storage charges accumulated waiting for a market rise,or should the farmer just sell “over the scale.” “It’s a gamble. You need a good market advisor,” Trent observed.
More from The Field Report
Not Much Field Work This Week
Trent Brandenburg does not plan on much fieldwork for this week, starting April 29, 2024. The huge squall line that extended from Texas to Green Bay, Wisconsin, over this past weekend, was far enough west to spare central Illinois from [...]
Machinery and Tile Repairs While Awaiting Warmer Weather
Trent Brandenburg is enjoying the first day of Spring finishing up some machinery repairs. His fieldwork right now involves fixing broken field tiles and clearing waterways to ensure good drainage during the crop year. Trent has not started serious field [...]
Need More Cold Weather, Warmer Markets
Trent Brandenburg wants more cold weather to freeze the soil deeper and kill more overwintering insects. "We are having too many 40-degree days," he observed. Trent noted, "Not much grain is moving," due to lower market pricing. "Eventually, the owner [...]