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West Central

May 22: Finally started to receive some rain

    This week has been a great one. We have finally started to receive some rain, right around an inch this week. Overall we just need some heat to get everything going strong. On the cattle front, we have moved everything out to pasture and are getting ready to mow hay once it dries.

    Clayton VanAernam, West Central Iowa CropWatch

    Clayton VanAernam, West Central Iowa CropWatch

      Clayton VanAernam is 17 and a junior at Audubon High School. He farms with his parents, Andy and Ashley, near Exira in Audubon County. They have a cow-calf herd, and Clayton helps his uncle with his row crop operation. He is involved with FFA, serving as chapter president, and is also active…

      May 18: Inch of rain is a blessing

        We received an inch of rain over the past two days, which is a blessing! We have completely finished planting and pretty much everyone is done around us. The sprayers are starting to roll. On the cattle front, we are hoping to drop hay in the next week and are moving cows out to pasture this…

        May 11: Could use a rain

          We finished up planting this past week. The biggest thing we could use at the moment is a rain. Some of our first-planted crops have begun to come up the past few days. Hay crop is looking to be dropped within the next few weeks and looks to be a good cutting. We started to A.I. cows over th…

          May 4: Most are getting to the end stretch

            Planting is a full go in our area. Most guys are getting to the end stretch. If I had to guess, most have a week to two weeks left. The big thing that we need is a rain so we can get everything to come up well due to simply how hard the ground is becoming. On the cattle front, we moved a few…

            April 27: Most people have started planting, but a few are still waiting

              Once again planting came to a halt due to a light rain last night. We are hoping to run tomorrow morning. Most people have started, but a few are still waiting. On the cattle front, the pastures are growing great, and we are looking to get a few out on grass next week. The hay crop is starti…

              April 20: Pastures are beginning to take off

                Planting season is just starting around here. We are planning on starting sometime today. We have received large amounts of rain within the last few weeks — roughly 3.5 inches. It has finally dried off enough so we can being to start field work. The pastures are beginning to take off, and th…

                Clayton VanAernam, West Central Iowa CropWatch Journal

                Clayton VanAernam, West Central Iowa CropWatch Journal

                  Clayton VanAernam is 17 and a junior at Audubon High School. He farms with his parents, Andy and Ashley, near Exira in Audubon County. They have a cow-calf herd, and Clayton helps his uncle with his row crop operation. He is involved with FFA, serving as chapter president, and is also active…

                  Introducing Clayton VanAernam

                    Clayton VanAernam is 17 and a junior at Audubon High School. He farms with his parents, Andy and Ashley, near Exira in Audubon County. They have a cow-calf herd, and Clayton helps his uncle with his row crop operation. He is involved with FFA, serving as chapter president, and is also active…

                    Wrap-up: We received rain when needed

                      On the corn front this year, we averaged right around the 220 bu./acre range. On the beans, 70 was pretty average around this area. The biggest challenge was southern rust. It caused stalks to break off. We did not have issues with rain this year, which is a bright spot. We received rain whe…

                      Nov. 3: Most are on the downhill slide of corn

                        Corn harvest is still underway around here! One neighbor still has beans left to harvest, but most are on the downhill slide of corn and can see the end. Some also have begun to do anhydrous and tillage. On the cattle front, we have been baling corn stalks and are in the process of moving ca…

                        Oct. 27: We have had a light frost around here

                          Corn harvest is in full swing around here. A few neighbors still have beans standing, but for the most part everyone is focused on corn harvest. We have had a light frost around here a day or two. On the cattle front, we started baling stalks this weekend. I have started moving cattle to cor…

                          Oct. 20: Corn stalk bale making has started

                            Harvest is still underway here. Most everyone is on corn harvest. Corn has been yielding well, and the moisture has been good. On the cattle front, corn stalk bale making has started and pasture grass is still good. Overall, doing great.

                            Oct. 13: Most are on corn harvest at the moment

                              Crops are getting harvested fast around here. Most are on corn harvest at the moment. Beans averaged well around here, in the 70-72 bu./acre range from what I have heard. Corn moisture has been good as well and they’re yielding well also. Cows are doing well also.

                              Oct. 6: Some have already come to a close on bean harvest

                                Overall harvest is full swing around this area. Some have already come to a close on bean harvest. We are looking to start corn harvest this week as well, once it begins to dry up due to receiving rain last night into this morning. Yields have been doing well. If I was going to say an averag…

                                Sept. 22: Silage harvest is still underway

                                  Crops are looking good at the moment. Some have started harvest around us. We are looking to start in the next couple of days. The corn silage harvest is still underway around this area. Hay season is over around here, I believe. Overall everything is looking really good.

                                  Sept. 15: Crops are turning in a hurry!

                                    Crops are turning in a hurry! Harvest appears to be right around the corner. A few have begun to start on their beans, but most are waiting a week or two for leaves to drop due to them still looking green. Corn silage harvest is still going around here at the moment as well. Overall, pasture…

                                    Sept. 8: We began to chop silage this weekend

                                      We began to chop silage this weekend, and that was very impressive in my opinion. Corn looks good except for having a small amount of rust in it. If I was to guess it would have yielded 230 to 250. The hay went well for us as we finished up our last cutting of that for the year. Crops are be…

                                      Aug. 29: Hay crop looks to be thicker than first cut

                                        Crops at the moment are starting to turn, which is something that I have always enjoyed because it means harvest is on the way. The corn and beans look great, just hoping that the yields turn out even better. On the cattle front pastures still look as green as the spring. The silage chopping…

                                        Aug. 25: Dropped our third crop of hay yesterday

                                          Crops are looking good at the moment. We dropped our third crop of hay yesterday and tonnage is looking good. We are going to start chopping corn in the near future. Crops are starting to slightly turn for harvest.

                                          Aug. 18: Enough rain to get us through the year

                                            We got some rain this morning (Monday). We're sitting in pretty good shape right now. We probably have enough rain to get us through the year. Hay crop looks pretty good. The third cutting of hay should start here sometime soon. Corn and beans look really good right now. We do chop silage, b…

                                            Aug. 11: Looks like spring for how green the grass is

                                              Overall, we are doing well. The biggest issue on the cattle side has been the ability to make hay. Due to the rains it has caused our hay crops to get rained on while the hay is down. I truly believe that we have received enough rain to be able to make it through the rest of summer. To be ho…

                                              Aug. 4: Second-cutting hay double the first

                                                Overall, we are standing pretty good. We were lucky enough to finish our second cutting of hay, which was double the first cut on tonnage. We could use a shot of rain to boost our third cutting of hay. The crops are looking good. We just wish the market would begin to go up.

                                                July 28: Hay has been the big focus

                                                  Crops are looking great. Hay has been the big focus. It has been rainy, which has caused our hay to become delayed. We have received some wind, but it has not affected the corn or beans too badly. Overall we are doing well.

                                                  July 21: Just began to drop our second cutting of hay

                                                    The crops are doing good at the moment. We have been receiving rain. We just began to drop our second cutting of hay, which is much-needed due to it being late because of the rains. Overall, we're sitting very well.

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