EASTERN IOWA

Jerry Broders

It’s “Fast and Furious 2018” in Eastern Iowa. Planters are rolling. Plots being planted, so we can collect information that will help us choose Latham’s 2019 lineup.

CENTRAL IOWA

Bryan Rohe

If you live or farm near Highway 92 in Oskaloosa, you must come look at this Latham® plot by Jackson Seed Sales. We’re showcasing 17 corn hybrids, ranging from 108 to 114 RM. You’ll also see a new 110 day Latham leafy silage corn, plus NemaStrike trials.

NORTHEAST IOWA & SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA

Craig Haaland

There isn’t much action in Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota. Soil temps have been around 34 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the past week. Soil temps finally reached the desired 50-degree mark on May 1, and I saw one Mitchell County farmer put some corn in the ground.

Keep in mind the short- and long-range forecasts before planting to avoid chilling effect, which occurs when seed corn takes in cold water. Rain is forecasted for the next couple days. The rain might actually help break up some of this ground that is quite hard now. Hopefully fields will dry out later this week, so planters can be in full force over the weekend.

WEST NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

Bart Peterson

Landon Aldinger, a Latham® dealer in Iowa Falls, Iowa, uses prescription farming equipment to collect data that he uses to select and place seed on a field-by-field basis. Landon started planting on April 30.

NORTH CENTRAL IOWA & SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA

Cory Greiman

Our cereal rye cover crop is greening up and growing at my place, south of Garner in North Iowa.

NORTHWEST IOWA

Darin Chapman

With rain in the forecast for Northwest Iowa during the next few days, some farmers are sneaking in field preparation. Frost is still present, so a warm rain may treat us well.  Keep in mind that for most of us we can get our entire crop planted within a week, so wait for fit soil conditions and not plant because “the calendar tell us it’s time.” Let’s try to wait for a good window for planting!

WESTERN IOWA & EASTERN NEBRASKA

Larry Krapfl

This week I helped plant the first corn plot for a Latham customer in western Iowa

SOUTHERN WISCONSIN

Greg Mair

Last Saturday a grower in southern Wisconsin fill his planter with LH 5245 VT2 PRO.

Growers hit the field last Friday and haven’t slowed down since.  A much needed rain is expected across much of the area and will likely park planters on Wednesday.  Rainfall amounts of up to 4 inches are possible in some areas before Friday evening.

Northern and Central Wisconsin could get planters rolling this weekend, depending on  expected rainfall.

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Jay Nelson

Warmer temperatures led to melting snow and resulted in 1.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 29, 2018, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Snow has melted in most fields with frost still working its way out of the ground. Farmers who were able to work their fields were busy with field preparation, spreading fertilizer, rock picking and planting.

Now that fields are drying, make sure you check whole field soil temperatures to make sure they’re warm enough to put seed in the ground. Planting is the most crucial time for production, so protect the investment you’ve made.

NORTHERN MINNESOTA

Ken Highness

Farmers in my region late last week started fieldwork, spreading fertilizer and started seeding. A cold front worked its way through the Red River Valley, and dropped enough rain to shut us down for the day!  This picture was taken in Breckenridge, Minn., yesterday where one of our Latham® dealers was taking time for additional maintenance.

SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA

Ramie Coughlin

We’re finally getting some field work done. Much of Southeast South Dakota received more rain Monday night, but field work progressed in some areas. The forecast calls for good farming weather in the week to come, so I expect some corn will hit the dirt in the next few days. Please remember, however, it is only the 2nd of May. Plant when conditions are right. It’s not necessary to mud anything in this time of year. If the soil isn’t fit, you’ll see better yields by waiting a few more days to plant.

EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA

Brian McNamee

After what seemed like two weeks of constant 20-mph winds, our fields have dried out enough for most farmers to get started with spring tillage and crop seeding. I’ve two things as I’ve been driving across the state this week: (1) There is a lot of seed being moved on the roadways; and (2) I cannot remember ever seeing so many fires in the spring. There is a steady hue of smoke from Harvey to Devils Lake as grass fires that stretch for miles. I hear most counties have burn bans in place. From what I’m seeing, the rural fire departments are running steady.

Latham® dealers in North Dakota are doing an excellent job of getting seed in place. Alfalfa is going in the ground, and some people have started planting corn. It’s fast and furious for us this year!  Some dealers have expanded their business to better help their customer base. One such example is Heyerdahl Seed Farm where a new soybean bulk system, with high speed treater, was recently built. This will help Heyerdahl customers get the product they need without having to wait in line. It’s looking good!

EASTERN IOWA

Jerry Broders

Field work and seed deliveries are heating up just like the temperatures in Eastern Iowa.

CENTRAL IOWA

Bryan Rohe

Corn planting is underway in Central Iowa. Make sure your planter is set correctly. To maximize yield and to prevent root and stock issues, we recommend planting  corn 2.5 inches deep. Soil temps are also very important. Soil temps need to be a minimum of 50 degrees for corn and 60 degrees is recommended for soybeans.

NORTHEAST IOWA & SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA

Craig Haaland

How the weather has changed in one week! The 10+ inches of snow we received last week has melted. This work week started with 60-degree temperatures and sunny skies. It looks like more sunshine and warm temperatures are on the way, so seed deliveries are in full force.

As eager as everyone is to get in the field, wait for fit planting conditions. Soil temperature and moisture, plus seed depth and spacing, are key to maximizing yield. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you enter the field:

• 4” soil temperature at 7 AM on April 24 in Osage was 34 degrees; consistent soil temp of 50 degrees is recommended to plant corn and 60 for soybeans.
• Fields in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota are too wet. I’m estimating it will be 7 to 10 days before we can get in the field.
• Check your planter for spacing, depth, singulation and population.

 

WEST NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

Bart Peterson

That’s lot of Latham® soybeans! The arrival of warm, spring temperatures means this seed will soon leave the shed.

NORTH CENTRAL IOWA & SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA

Cory Greiman

The 4-inch soil temperature was 41° at 7 AM on April 24 at my farm. Temperatures have warmed during the past week, aren’t yet the desired 50° for planting corn.

NORTHWEST IOWA

Darin Chapman

It feels like spring has finally arrived in Northwest Iowa! Although we are eager to get in the field, we must be patient for optimal planting conditions.  We want to maximize yield, especially given today’s commodity prices.

Keep in mind that seed corn absorbs soil moisture at less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but soil temps must reach 50 degrees or higher for germination. Check out the 5- to 7-day forecast. If soil temperatures are climbing, consider planting corn. If the forecast looks like cold and wet weather for a while, hold off for better conditions. You don’t want seeds to imbibe cold water that can lead to chilling effect or ambient air temperatures to freeze seedlings as they emerge.

WESTERN IOWA & EASTERN NEBRASKA

Larry Krapfl

SOUTHERN WISCONSIN

Greg Mair

Spring has arrived and there is no turning back! Nice weather has allowed southern Wisconsin farmers to seed alfalfa.  The fields worked up nicely on Tuesday for one of our customers in Potosi, who is seeding LH 9120 BR. I expect the corn planters to hit the fields Thursday or Friday.

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Jay Nelson

What a difference a week makes! Last week we had 8 to 10 inches of snow on the ground, and now we’re looking at clear fields. This is a picture from same location as the one I posted last week.

Farmers are getting excited. Although the weather warmer is inviting, soil temperatures are still in the low 40s. A few farmers are starting tillage, but it’s not yet fit to as there’s still a lot of frost in the ground.

NORTHERN MINNESOTA

Ken Highness

This picture was taken April 24 near Glyndon, Minn. Equipment is parked as farmers wait for soils to dry, so planting can begin!

SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA

Ramie Coughlin

A week ago most of South Dakota was sitting under a foot or more of snow. During the past week, temperatures really warmed up and we enjoyed some nice days. Today it’s again cold. Rain is falling across most of the state, but at least it’s not snow! Soil temperatures are plenty cool and ground conditions are fairly wet, so no field work is underway.

Farmers in the western counties of Southeast South Dakota may get in the field by the end of this week. We are hoping to get some spring fertilizing started next week in East Central and Southeast South Dakota.

EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA

Brian McNamee

We have entered a very favorable weather pattern recently. If the long term forecast holds true, we should be able to seed/plant all crops within a steady procession of one another: spring wheat, barley, durum, and all cereal grains followed by field peas and canola followed by corn, edibles, soybeans and sunflowers.

One thing that always amazes me with the ever-changing trends of agriculture is the size of the seeding/planting equipment. Plant 500 acres in a day with one machine? No problem, according to John Deere’s latest and greatest!

A customer of mine is doing a demo with this to seed barley. His 620 horsepower tractor is pulling a 855 bushel cart. He doesn’t have to fill anything very often, making it very efficient.

NORTHEAST IOWA & SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA

Craig Haaland

It’s another crisp morning in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. Today’s forecast calls for another 4 to 8 inches of snow. It’s like living a scene from the movie, “Ground Hog” day. We keep waking up to April snow.

On a positive note, the snow is wet. Wet snow provides moisture, and subsoil moisture is needed by crops. While it’s trying our patience, we know that warmer days are ahead! In the meantime, our seed is safely in the shed.

NORTH CENTRAL IOWA & SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA

Cory Greiman

This photo was taken south of Garner, but it’s snowing again. It looks like 5 inches has already fallen. The flakes are getting heavier and bigger.

WEST NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

Bart Peterson

This picture was taken April 16, 2018, just 7 miles east of Humboldt where it snowed 10 inches last weekend. Instead of unloading hard boxes of corn for planting, many farmers in the area are moving snow. This weather is testing our patience, but we know spring will arrive soon.

CENTRAL IOWA

Bryan Rohe

Despite the weather, Latham® dealers are busy making deliveries and discussing what hybrids and varieties should be placed on what fields. Latham has outstanding product performance and takes pride in placing products on the right soils, fertility, and drainage to maximum profit per acre.

EASTERN IOWA

Jerry Broders

We’re all hooked up and ready to go in eastern Iowa! As you can see, our soil temperatures are not ready for #plant18. Soil temperatures here are 38 degrees at 2 inches of depth. It’s best for soil temperatures to reach 50 degrees before planting corn. Soil temperatures should consistently stay between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit before planting soybeans. Be patient as the forecast is for warmer temperatures next week!

NORTHWEST IOWA

Darin Chapman

Below are a few planter inspection tips while you wait:

1. Check all mechanical drive components and look for any excessive wear. Check the bushings in all parallel arms. Inspect drive chains and cable drives as worn cable drives can slip and cause skips while planting
2. Inspect all seed tubes for wear and tear. Sometimes the seed tube can wear at the bottom, causing it to crack.  Any obstruction can cause ricochet and seed bounce in the seed tube causing erratic seed spacing.
3. Check consistent disc opener depth on the planter.  A good way to do this is to place 2X4 boards underneath each one of the gauge wheels and lower the planter onto the boards, preferably on concrete. Next, go through and check depth of disc openers. They are adjusted to the same notch on the back of the row unit, but you will be surprised with how far off they are from each other even though they are set the same.

WESTERN IOWA & EASTERN NEBRASKA

Larry Krapfl

No planting will get underway here for a while as snow is covering most of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Fourteen inches of snow fell last weekend in Spencer, Neb., and Emerson, Neb, picked up eight inches of snow. Battle Creek, Iowa, got O.6 of an inch of rain followed by four inches of snow. Council Bluffs marked 0.8 inches of rain with just a dusting of snow. The good news is this snow won’t last long. We’re all ready for the planting season to begin!

SOUTHERN WISCONSIN

Greg Mair

The month of April feels more like January.  The winter storm that hit most of the Midwest dropped anywhere from 3 inches in southern Wisconsin to 33 inches of snow northwest of Green Bay.

I didn’t think I would ever hear of a day when farmers would use airplanes to fly salt over the rooftops to help speed up the melting process and to prevent barn roofs from collapsing.  This photo from Latham® Dealer Adam Faust of Chilton, Wisc., shows the 22 inches of snow that fell. Adam says he’s looking forward to a calm May with warm temperatures and abundant sunshine.  If the long range forecast is accurate, it’s shocking to say that we might be in the fields before we were last year!

Even with the warm sunshine this week in Watertown, it will take awhile for the 9 inches of snow to dry out – and for soils to warm up – enough to plant our Latham Corn SuperStrip.

EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA

Brian McNamee

Luckily, here in North Dakota we didn’t see the big snowfall that blanketed the Upper Midwest last weekend. Farmers across the area are chomping at the bit to get seed in the ground. There is a lot of “yet to be determined” acres across the region. It does look like we will start receiving normal to near normal temperatures in the coming week.  Latest data shows that this is the second coldest April on record with temperatures averaging 15.5 degrees below average.

Pictured is one of my northern ND dealers with bulk seed delivery in place ready for season to hit.

SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA

Gary Geske

While we are all waiting for spring and planting, there are other things we must give attention. Cold grain stored in bins starts sweating as outdoor temperatures rise. Monitor the situation closely as a bin full of grain can spoil in no time. If you do not haul the grain out of the bins before the busy season starts, at least core the bins. Pull a few loads out of the center and run fans to equalize temperatures to prevent spoilage.

NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA

James Keltgen

Mother Nature has not been cooperating with farmers this spring. There has been a snowstorm every week in Northeast South Dakota for the past month. Twenty-one inches of wet snow has fallen during the last two storms with more snow in the forecast for April 18. Frost is still present as air temperatures have been 30 degrees below normal. Fortunately, the date to switch to earlier maturities for our region is May 20. We still have plenty of time until we need to be worry about that! Warmer weather and planting are just around the corner.

SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA

Ramie Coughlin

The calendar says spring is here, but Mother Nature says, wait just a bit. As snow continues to fall in South Dakota everyone gets a few more days in the shop to get spring field equipment ready to roll.

NORTHERN MINNESOTA

Ken Highness

This photo was taken April 17 near Freeport, Minn., where eight inches of snow fell over the weekend. While none of us want to see spring snow, at least it’s still early in the season. Keep calm.  Each day brings us one day closer to “normal” spring temperatures!

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Jay Nelson

Although we’ve had some fairly windy conditions with this snowfall, the good news is there should be adequate moisture once we can start rolling. This picture was taken south of Renville, Minn. Many dealers and farmers that I’ve been talking with are getting anxious, but I’m reminding them to make sure the ground is fit before they enter the fields.

Planting is one of the most important and direct influences that we have on yield. History has shown us that it’s best to avoiding planting when the soil is too wet or too cold. The effects of soil compaction become evident all season long, especially at harvest time. We’ll see the chilling effect when seeds imbibe cold water. When soil temperatures are less than 55° F for an extended period of time, the seedlings may “corkscrew” or not emerge when exposed to these coil soil temperatures.