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 has to be the seller,” Trent said, meaning grain being held by growers will come on to the market eventually.
Except for a few days of bitter cold, January has been relatively warm and wet. Measurable rainfall most days will eventually move through the frost layer and recharge the subsoil. The Illinois subsoil moisture measurements at Champaign at the 4-inch, 12-inch, and 20-inch levels have all returned to their highs of last Spring’s rainy spell from the serious drought conditions of August and September 2023.
More from The Field Report
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 [...]
December Details, Then Christmas
Trent Brandenburg has a lot of details to work with in December before the presents can be wrapped and the tree trimmed. Trent farms plots of land for many different owners. In December the harvest is done. No two plots [...]