Aaron and Chrissy Schnepel live and farm near Carson, Iowa, in Pottawattamie County, with their son, Brock, a high school sophomore, and daughter, Baylee, an eighth grader. They grow corn and soybeans and some cover cropping on a couple thousand acres with Aaron’s dad, Mark, and uncle, Condon. The Schnepels also have a cow-calf herd. They are involved with the Farm Bureau Young Farmers committee.

There’s not a lot going on. We’re not rolling out a lot yet. It’s always dusty — still dry as far as subsoil. We have planters ready to hit fields, but it’s still dry and anhydrous and pre-planting spraying is getting done. Cooperatives are struggling to get it wrapped up. We kept working on machinery and weaning calves. Pastures got fertilized last Tuesday when others got storms that we didn’t.

Things were moving fast around here this week. A lot has been planted in a hurry. Thursday evening storms were spotty, with our fields getting anywhere from half an inch to nothing. So, planting didn’t slow until Saturday night brought a widespread half inch and a little more spotty rain Sunday evening. It will probably keep us out of the field Monday. Soil conditions have been great, with soil moisture variability but nothing very wet.

The week started out damp around here. The rain Sunday into Monday didn’t amount to much around here at a half an inch or so. I’ve heard not that far away had as much as 3 inches. But the cold temps and lack of sun kept us out of the field until Wednesday afternoon, when we found a farm dry enough to plant some beans. Most places wouldn’t work until Thursday. But things are moving fast again now, with some getting pretty close to done and some just getting started. We’re about halfway through. I’ve planted into some of the driest soil I ever have this spring.

It’s been another dry and dusty week around here, which is great for planting. We’re just getting finished up. Wind has been calm as well, letting spraying and some fertilizer spreading get caught up. We have heard some concerns about frost on some of the early-planted acres and some crusting soybeans east of here where they had hard rains. We didn’t get started early enough or have enough rain for either of those problems on our acres. This week we’ll be moving cows to pasture. The grass looks great.

This week, we worked on moving cows to pasture, tore up the lots they were in and planted our silage corn. We received 1 inch of rain Saturday night and another 0.5 inch tonight should get that corn out of the ground. There was a lot of replanting going on around here this week. I have not seen any of ours needing that. South and east of here saw some rough storms again this week, and there has been some hail — hopefully not enough to hurt the soybeans. When it dries off, I’m sure chopping and haying cover crops will start.

The rain at the beginning of the week was just what we needed around here, but the cold temperatures have really slowed things down — both crop growth and field activity. It doesn’t dry out much when it is only 60 degrees. Little bit of hay being mowed was the only field work I saw happening this week.

The heat this week has things really taking off. There is some unevenness in some corn and soybean fields that rain and heat will hopefully help even out. Rain has been coming just as it’s needed, but we haven’t been gaining any extra. But that gave us a good dry window for field work. Corn is getting second passed. And hay has been getting baled.

This last week seemed to fly by as crops are starting to take off, but there is still a lot of unevenness. Rain continues to be variable. Most that got more rain also got hail or damaging winds. We missed out on most of that but did lose some old oak trees in the pasture.

This week we got ours. Early morning storm on Thursday brought strong winds — snapping trees in our yard, breaking up windbreak trees and throwing a portable cattle shed out into the field. Apparently, that’s what it takes to get an inch of much-needed rain. Crops are looking good. Wind didn’t affect them very much. Corn spraying is pretty much wrapped up. Probably time to start spraying the second pass on beans.

Beans have been sprayed this past week. It would sure be nice if they would get to growing. Corn has really taken off and evened out, but beans seem to be struggling. Wind a week ago didn’t affect much corn but tore up bean leaves pretty significantly. South of here there was some hail that warranted replanting. We don’t have that, but I was surprised by the wind’s effects on the beans. Looks like I should have left cover crop growing a little longer as the beans under the tall rye were protected and are much leafier and bigger.

This has been a fast-paced week of bean spraying. Beans are starting to take off, so hopefully they will all be to canopy soon. Staying ahead of the waterhemp has been challenging. Corn looks good.

The corn has really grown over the last 10 days. First-planted fields are tasseling, and most of the rest of it is getting close. Soybeans have been progressing, but they are a little slower and steadier. Some beans look amazing, and some are just a little uneven. We’ve been missing the heavy rain but still have plenty of humidity, so fungicide spraying will probably start soon.

Fungicide spraying started in the area this week, although it’s not as aggressive as I expected. Japanese beetles have some concerned, but I haven’t seen enough to merit spraying. They just seem to be spotty, which is what we seem to be getting used to. Heat has crops growing nicely but has definitely slowed the pasture. Grass is still good, but you can tell summer is here.

It’s been a hot and dry week. Been great for baling hay but not the most pleasant way to be at the county fair. The dust is back and a rain to settle it would be appreciated. Fungicide continues to be sprayed along with respraying a few beans with weed escapes.

Not much has changed this week. We got a few days’ break from the heat, but it’s back now. Crops look good. Have seen some late-planted corn rolling up. Shouldn’t have to mow the yard for a while — it’s brown. Pasture is also drying up fast.