Iowa Road Trip

Iowa Road Trip

Crop progress

We spent the weekend with our Iowa Family this weekend.  Corn planting seemed to be well underway on the Illinois portion of the trip.  The Missouri leg is mostly a view of Mississippi River Bottomlands.  There was a lot planted in Missouri too. Traveled from the Missouri Border to Pella.  Once we got into Iowa, there was not a lot planted. There we showers over night.  Topsoil looked amp in some place.  Other places only got sprinkles.  

Mid June Field Work

Mid June Field Work

Crop progress

Wheat is being harvested, straw baling follows and then double crop soybeans.  Most corn fields were rolling in the heat and low humidity today.  The corn looked better when the sun went down.

Wheat Harvest

Straw baled

Sowing beans

Corn needs rain

Short Planting Window

Short Planting Window

Crop progress

It looks like we will have a short planting window so there was a flurry of field activity today.  Planting sidedressing, and fertilizing all were activities I saw.  The bottom picture is a nice looking field of soybeans south of Raymond.

Butterweed Doing Well

Butterweed Doing Well

Crop progress weeds

Looking North toward Butler T, yellow is butterweed and brown is some sort of dock.  Most corn is planted, but some fields waiting for soybeans area mess.  Still not much field work going today.

More Corn Planting News

More Corn Planting News

Crop progress

i went to Pike County today and there are still a lot of planters in the field.  I even saw one guy still applying Anhydrous.  The later the better really.  THere was also a lot f tillage equipment.

Champaign Road Trip

Champaign Road Trip

Crop progress

I had a meeting in Champaign on Saturday.  I took the backroads in Coles and Douglas Counties to get some pictures and see what is going on in the countryside.  I spotted several people applying Anhydrous Ammonia and one Amish farmer was disking with an 8 horse hitch.  The crib below is in Douglas County.  

Corn Crop Progresing

Corn Crop Progresing

Crop progress

We have been sampling emerged corn this week.  The crop is looking good although in low areas, stands are not great.  i suspect they were planted too wet.  There will be some replanting if weather allows.  It seems soybeans are about 50% planted.  Some are starting to emerge and looking good. We are at the ttime of year whencrops and markets are weather driven.  

The News from West Alton

The News from West Alton

2015 Planting Crop progress

We have been working Daily in the West Alton Area.  Land is located on the finger that has the Mississippi River on one side and the Missouri River on the other side.  The bottomland soils are highly variable.  Most of the corn to be planted will be done by the end of the week. There is still land untilled that will be planted to soybeans.  Some of the earliest corn planted April 2 was replanted yesterday.  Other corn is just emerging.  What we have samp;ed is looking good.

First Trip to West Alton

First Trip to West Alton

Crop progress

We made our first trip West Alton today. There is lot of corn planted there and the soil is in decent condition.  As always, there is a lot of farming around wet holes.  We had frost last night.

There was a lot of field actvity of every kind you can think of.

Macoupin County Today

Macoupin County Today

Crop progress Harvest

I took the backroads to my Macoupin County Client today. There was more corn to harvest than expected.  I saw five combines in the field.  On a more exciting note I spotted and eagle's nest along Macoupin Creek with a Bald Eagle nearby.  I tried for a picture, but my phone camera failed me. 

Freeburg

Freeburg

Crop progress

I worked in Freeburg area today. I did not see any crops not harvested in that area.  We sampled some wheat that was no-tilled. It is not very far along, but looked like it could survive the winter. Some tillage work is still underway, but there is not a lot of fall tillage done. 

Comments Illinois Weather and Crop Report

Comments Illinois Weather and Crop Report

Crop progress weather

Illinois Weather and Crop report shows 43% of corn harvested and 37% of soybeans harvested.  In our area, WSW, 54% of corn harvested and 34% of soybeans harvest.  We were in Christian, Fayette, and Montgomery County today.  The 54% and 34% seem to fit. There were lots of combines in the field today and they started early.  We had very little dew today.  At this point people are switching to soybeans.  We did see one wheat field that was emerged, but most who want to plant wheat will be trying to get that done this week along with  lots of harvesting.