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May 11: Terminating cover crops has been a challenge

    Slow but steady progress this week with several interruptions for light rains. Emerged crops still look pale with the cool and sometimes cloudy conditions. Terminating cover crops has been a challenge due to cool temperatures. Lord willing, we will finish planting early this coming week.

    Joe Stuckel, Eastern Illinois CropWatch Journal

    Joe Stuckel, Eastern Illinois CropWatch Journal

      Joe Stuckel and his wife Amber, along with their six young children, farm near Buckley in Iroquois County. They are first generation farmers, growing corn and soybeans. 

      Joe Stuckel, Eastern Illinois CropWatch

      Joe Stuckel, Eastern Illinois CropWatch

        Joe Stuckel and his wife Amber, along with their six young children, farm near Buckley in Iroquois County. They are first generation farmers, growing corn and soybeans.

        Introducing Joe Stuckel

          Joe Stuckel and his wife Amber, along with their six young children, farm near Buckley in Iroquois County. They are first generation farmers, growing corn and soybeans. They also raise cattle marketed as freezer beef. In addition to farming, Stuckel has a seed business and does some custom s…

          May 4: Corn should recover with sun and warmth.

            Not much activity this week as 1 to 2 inches of rain fell on Monday. Some field work and planting resumed Friday and Saturday. Corn and beans that were planted in the second week of April have emerged with good stands. Some emerged corn looks pale but should recover nicely if we get some sun…

            Looking for an Eastern CropWatcher!

              We are still in need of a CropWatcher for this district. Call 773-234-9004 or email crystal.reed@lee.net if you are interested in volunteering. Thank you

              Wrap-up: Crop ended up doing well despite the lack of rain

                We had a pretty good planting season — got rained out for a couple weeks but got quite a bit planted in during April. The crop ended up doing well despite the lack of rain in August, September and October. Harvest went well. We worked every day and only had a few days when we couldn’t work d…

                Nov. 3: A lot of fall tillage got done

                  Pretty well finished up with everything. A lot of fall tillage got done this past week and people are doing a lot of maintenance jobs. Anhydrous applications are going on as well.

                  Oct. 27: More farmers are getting done all the time

                    Things are starting to wrap up — more farmers are getting done all the time. Fields are getting fewer and far between. I have seen some anhydrous tanks going down the road.

                    Oct. 20: Nice rain on Saturday afternoon

                      Nice rain on Saturday afternoon. Everyone was hitting the corn pretty hard last week, expecting more to be finishing up this week. People are starting to do fall tillage, and a lot of fertilizer is being spread.

                      Oct. 13: Last week was a big go week on corn

                        Last week was a big go week on corn, with moistures under 20% on what we’ve done. Beans are 98% done — only a few fields here and there are still unharvested.

                        Oct. 6: Everyone finishing soybeans in the next few days

                          Last week was busy with lots of soybeans harvested. Everyone will be finishing up in the next few days. Yesterday we had field fires in the area — they were a few miles away from us. Some people switched to corn and will be hitting it hard now, too.

                          Sept. 29: Full speed ahead on beans around here

                            Full speed ahead on beans around here. Every combine in the country is going on beans. Bean yields seem to be very good. Fungicide seemed to help the beans too.

                            Sept. 22: Twenty percent to 30% moisture on the corn

                              We got a nice shower over the weekend. I think it needed it to get some moisture in the beans and knock some leaves off. A few people are working on corn because it is down and tangled up. Twenty percent to 30% moisture on the corn. I think a lot more will get started this week — might not g…

                              Sept. 15: Last week was another hot and dry week

                                A few guys are starting this week. Last week was another hot and dry week. I have heard a few guys doing beans, and they are testing 10% again. Will probably be another week until we get going. Catching up on mowing and prepping for harvest.

                                Sept. 8: What a difference a week makes

                                  What a difference a week makes — the corn and beans have changed a lot. I haven’t seen anyone in the field yet but wouldn’t be surprised to see someone in the fields later this week. We are still working on getting things ready for harvest.

                                  Aug. 29: Seems to be a lot of hay

                                    We are third-cutting hay — seems to be a lot of hay. Mowing and still getting stuff together for harvest. Some of the corn is starting to turn a little bit.

                                    Aug. 25: Waiting for the corn and beans to get dry enough to do something

                                      We’re getting stuff ready for fall and doing some mowing yet. Waiting for the corn and beans to get dry enough to do something. We will be doing corn first it looks like.

                                      Aug. 18: Everything is still pretty green yet

                                        Everything is still pretty green yet. I haven’t seen any beans turn. We’ve had enough moisture, corn is still staying pretty green. Some farms got 4 inches of rain and some had two-tenths of an inch during a storm we had last week. We did have some wind damage that knocked corn down. Other t…

                                        Aug. 11: Beans seem to be blooming all the way to the top

                                          Things are growing well. Fungicide is pretty much sprayed and mowing roadsides and waterways was the task last week. Beans seem to be blooming all the way to the top.

                                          Aug. 4: Hauling stuff down to the state fair

                                            We have been mowing and hauling stuff down to the state fair as well as general maintenance. We have received more rain. Putting fungicide on the corn, and it is pretty much sprayed.

                                            July 28: We’ve caught just enough rain

                                              We have been catching some spotty rains and it’s been very hot. We’ve caught just enough rain, and the grass is green. Just got through the 4-H fair last week, and now people are getting ready for the state fair. Things are looking pretty good for this time of year.

                                              July 21: Good pollinating weather so far.

                                                Another good week last week. The corn and beans have grown. We caught some showers over the weekend and things are growing well. We are having good pollinating weather so far.

                                                July 14: Wheat done and caught nice showers

                                                  We got the wheat done and caught a couple of nice showers. Corn is tasseling and fungicide is being applied. Could always use some more rain, but things are looking good up our way.

                                                  July 7: Early-planted corn is taking the heat better

                                                    The early-planted corn is taking the heat better than the later-planted corn. Beans are starting to take off and grow a little. I checked some sweet corn, and Japanese beetles were thick in it. We’re combining wheat, which is doing good. We’re baling straw and will try and double crop some b…

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