Beans Look Good, Corn Is OK
Trent Brandenburg is pleased with the development of his soybean crop this year. Timely rains have kept new pods forming and helped to fill out the early-set ones. Although the northern half of Piatt County, the eastern half of DeWitt County, and nearly all of Champaign County, are labelled “Moderate Drought” on today’s (August 25, 2022) Illinois Drought Map, Trent’s land has received enough rain to keep his beans doing well.
Trent’s corn crop is “not as good as last year,” he observed. Late planting due to the wet May, and then a long dry spell in June, took the top off this year’s potential yield. “It’s OK, he added, repeating “just not as good as last year.” June rainfall in central Illinois averaged 3 to 4 inches below normal. Trent has experienced no serious fungus disease attack with the return of rains, due to his timely application of crop protection chemicals earlier this summer.
More from The Field Report
Dry Weather Hastens Harvest
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 [...]
Not Quite Harvest Time Just Yet
Trent Brandenburg's earliest-planted corn is "about a week away" from drying below 25% moisture. At that level, he could lower his drying expense at the grain elevator. "Now, if there's an incentive..., " Trent indicated that an elevator offering a [...]
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 [...]