The heat really shoved things forward. Corn is suddenly close, and a few combines rolling next week feels right. More will follow the week after as fields dry down. Corn yield expectations have slipped as a host of issues have impacted it. Beans are yellowing but still have plenty of runway.…
A very pleasant weather week with no rain and comfortable temperatures and humidity. Many farmers took advantage of the window to finish up hay before conditions tighten. Corn is starting to die down, with anthracnose leaf blight showing up across a lot of acres, and the spots that ran out o…
After weeks of steady rain, fields are finally starting to dry out. Corn is beginning to show some late-August blemishes, which is pretty typical as the season winds down. Soybeans continue to look excellent, holding their color and consistency with very little to complain about. Overall, no…
We picked up as much as 9.5 inches across a lot of our crop ground over the past week. For perspective, the Amazon rainforest averages 60-120 inches of rain annually, and one of my farms is already sitting at 66 inches over the past 365 days. A few farms in the area saw gusty winds strong en…
Drew DeSutter farms with his dad Jim, uncle Randy and cousin Matthew in Knox, Mercer and Henry counties. He returned to the farm after graduating from the University of Illinois in 2009 with a degree in ag business and farm management. The family follows a 50-50 corn-soybean rotation and has…
Another half inch to three‑quarters of an inch of rain fell this past week, and overall, it was a really nice stretch of weather. Disease pressure remains low, with gray leaf spot being the main issue showing up in corn. I’ve heard of aphids in the area, but reports seem scattered and incons…
We needed a rain to help finish out the crops, and we ended up getting a very welcome 2-3 inches over a couple days. The past few years have forced us to watch the crop somewhat struggle to finish through August, but this forecast of wetter, cooler conditions should help give it the push it …
A very pleasant weather week brought cooler temperatures that were welcomed as the crop continues to fill. We’ve been in a dry pattern for most of July, but the grass has stayed green, and both corn and beans remain mostly stress‑free. In most of my years of farming, this is the point in the…
Recently weather has stayed warm and muggy, moving crops along steadily. Field activity continues as needed, and occasional spotty showers have been the main source of moisture. A shift toward more comfortable temperatures is expected soon, which should help ease overall crop stress.
The crops had a fairly uneventful week. The corn is pollinating, and fungicide applications are being flown on. Disease pressure remains low overall, with only a little gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight showing up. A stretch of hot weather is ahead, and rainfall chances look limit…
This week’s highs in the upper 80s will feel almost like fall compared to the heat we just came through. A few storms rolled through and brought some wind. Isolated pockets showed a little snap in the corn, but nothing widespread. We’re getting very close to tassel, and I’d guess by the next…
The area finally dried out enough toward the end of the week to get into some bean fields for post spraying. Most of the corn is still handling the excess moisture better than the beans. I’ve heard a few reports of tar spot showing up, though I haven’t seen any myself. The forecasted heat wi…
On-and-off rain showers have continued throughout the week. Soybean fields were sprayed in between rains — not ideal conditions, but the waterhemp and overall weed pressure has reached the point where something had to be done. One of the apps I follow shows a field with over 16 inches of rai…
Off‑and‑on rain showers paired with hot, muggy weather summed up the past week. Some fields took on far too much water (9 inches or more in seven days) and could really use a break, but at least none of the storms brought the high winds that were originally forecast. Once things finally dry …
The crops held up well through the hot, dry stretch early in the week and were rewarded with some much‑needed rain over the weekend. Totals were extremely spotty across the area. A few farms picked up 4-5 inches, while others saw only sprinkles to a half inch. The places that caught the full…
Hot and dry conditions dominated the week in our area. A significant amount of post‑spraying was completed, and a few soybean fields were spotted in for replant. Some of the 15‑inch beans on lighter soils didn’t achieve the stand farmers were hoping for, but overall, the crops look solid. Co…
It was a fairly slow week following the weekend rains and the cooler stretch midweek. Most of the April‑planted corn is sitting around the V4 stage, and the May‑planted soybeans have emerged quickly — you can row them easily from the road. I’d expect to see a lot of post‑spraying happening n…
Warm temperatures and a couple of timely rains over the weekend gave the crops a nice boost. Both corn and soybeans are gaining height and showing a healthy green color. Populations look solid overall, though it seems like everyone has at least one field they’ve double‑checked.
Spotty showers slowed things down mid‑week, but field activity picked up again and the area finished strong toward the end of the week. Emerged corn is moving slowly, though the warmer temperatures heading into the weekend gave it a much‑needed push. Soybeans are starting to show as well, ev…
This week lived up to expectations — fast, busy and full of progress. Sprayers were running hard, and both corn and soybeans went in across the area. Ground conditions weren’t quite as ideal as the past couple of years, but those seasons spoiled us. Even so, soils shaped up reasonably well, …
In my immediate area, there hasn’t been much fieldwork accomplished so far in April. Some of our farms have already seen around 6 inches of rain this month. A little burndown has been applied but not much. If the forecast holds, this week could finally allow a lot of equipment to get rolling…
Drew DeSutter farms with his dad Jim, uncle Randy and cousin Matthew in Knox, Mercer and Henry counties. He returned to the farm after graduating from the University of Illinois in 2009 with a degree in ag business and farm management. The family follows a 50-50 corn-soybean rotation and has…
Drew DeSutter farms with his dad Jim, uncle Randy and cousin Matthew in Knox, Mercer and Henry counties. He returned to the farm after graduating from the University of Illinois in 2009 with a degree in ag business and farm management. The family follows a 50-50 corn-soybean rotation and has…
As I look back on the year, it was marked by a fast planting and harvest window under predominantly dry conditions. June held fairly dry, but July brought a shift to wet and humid weather that, while seemingly ideal, ended up creating a perfect environment for crop disease. Yields varied mor…
There’s a lot of anhydrous going on across many fields now as farmers take advantage of the dry stretch to catch up on fall fieldwork. While some crops are still being harvested, those acres are getting fewer and farther between. The earlier-than-usual harvest finish and continued good weath…