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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: Week of June 7

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

We talk about the importance of field-by-field placement, and here’s a textbook example. I was driving around my territory when I saw this field and stopped to visit with the farmer about his situation.

Given the weed pressure in this field, different soybean seed technology should have been used. One advantage of working with independent Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is that we sell all technology platforms, so we can work with farmers to help them chose the best system for a given situation.

If this particular farmer could have a do-over, he would have selected a different pre-emergence herbicide. A full quart of Powermax® and Authority® Assist did nothing to this marestail. Fortunately, an agronomist found a recipe to take care of 90% or better of these glyphosate-resistant buggers.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Rain has yet to fall in the areas where it’s needed the most. Rain is desperately needed as both corn and soybeans have yet to emerged due to dry soils. In areas that received moisture, the heat is moving corn development along. Soybeans range in stages. Wet spring weather in some areas delayed planting, so farmer there are working to finish now.

Photo 1: LH5095VT2 nearing V5 stage

Photo 2: Soybeans aren’t poking through yet

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

We’re starting to be able to row soybeans. Some plants even have the first trifoliate. Click here to see what each stage of plant growth looks like.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

My grandson Braxton and I were scouting a soybean field near Glyndon, Minnesota, for emergence and symptoms of any seedling diseases.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

A customer invited me to walk this field with him late last week. He was very impressed with his Latham® hybrids and was excited to show me the emergence of LH 4455 VT3 PRO RIB. This field was planted April 20 with a population at 35,500. The right half of this picture shows LH 4455 VT3 PRO RIB, and we assessed stand counts at 35,000 plants! The left half of the picture shows the competitor at 26,000 plants.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Wisconsin’s wet and cold weather has straightened out! We’re finally getting sun and heat. I can’t believe I am saying this, but some of the later planted fields could actually use a shower. Around Janesville, Wisconsin, almost all of the soybeans are popping through the soil. This field of Latham® Ironclad^TM 2084 R2 Soybeans, which was planted on May 31, shows great growth in just one week.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Following another wet spring, farmers in Northwest Iowa are in a position where they have to make the difficult decision whether or not to replant due to heavy rains, drowned outs, and crusting. The timing of rainfall is key, and we could use a gentle shot of rain here in Northwest Iowa!

South Central Minnesota & North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

You see some interesting things while scouting fields. Pink colored seed treatment shell is still on cotyledons of this emerged soybean plant.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

This field of Latham® 2084 R2s was planted May 14 in 7.5-inch rows at 140,000 population into no-till. It’s looking good considering no rain has fallen since then in Mitchell County. Our crops could really use a drink.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

If you look closely, you can see soybeans poking their heads above the ground into the dead rye cover crop. Marvin Beneke, a Latham dealer from Palmer Iowa, sent to pic to me last week.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Many farmers are apply post-emerge herbicides on corn and soybeans. For best results, it’s important to follow label directions on all post-herbicide applications. Remember, it’s is not the height of the corn that matters but rather the stage of growth.

Also be sure to keep an eye on your crops for cutworms and army worms. They are out there and can be devastating on your corn crop.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

You know what they say, “make hay when the sun shines.” This week lots of mowing, raking and baling is being done across Central Iowa.

Webspec Admin

June 7, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: May 31

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

Most of North Dakota is starting to look arid as we have gone all spring without moisture. We’ve been chasing the moisture down with seed placement and have hit our limits. The ground has hardened, and soil conditions are growing worse by the day. Later planted corn and tens of thousands of acres of soybeans have been planted into dry soils. With the widespread use of pre-emergence chemicals, there’s potential seedling loss to due chemical activation and plant emergence all at once. We need rain in the worst way and we need it soon!

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

This field of Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids at Hermosa is looking great! Due to cooler than average temperatures, heat units are lacking in Northeast South Dakota. Central and North Central parts of the state are extremely dry. Soybeans need moisture to germinate in many areas of the state.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

After a few days of some much needed rain and warmer weather, the crops are growing vigorously. Wheat is heading, and the first cutting of hay is down.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

It’s been a tough spring! Cold temperatures and rain after planting affected emergence, especially in low areas of the field. The red flags represent poor emergence or no emergence at all. Click here for tips on assessing corn and soybean stands.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

Yesterday Latham’s regional Technology Showcase Plot was planted near Mountain Lake, Minnesota. This soybean plot features Roundup Ready 2, Roundup Ready Xtend, and Balance GT. Come see them yourself at our plot day on Aug. 22!

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

It’s been another wet week across Wisconsin. While many farmers across the Corn Belt are talking about replants, we’re just praying we can get good enough weather to get the crops in once!

This field of Latham® LH 5335 VT2 PRO was planted April 25. It was in the ground about 18 days before it emerged, but the stand looks great. The forecasted warmer temps should help improve plant health.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Brian and Adam Schaffer, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds dealers in Sheldon, Iowa, are finishing up their soybean plot. There are some concerns of replant following heavy rains and crusting. A small shower and sunshine greatly benefit crops across Northwest Iowa!

North Central Iowa & South Central Minnesota

Cory Greiman

You know what they say, “The time to make hay is when the sun is shining!” Fortunately, it looks like farmers in North Central Iowa are going to catch a break from an especially wet spring in time to bale first cutting.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

This field of Latham® LH 5175 VT2 DG RIB DroughtGard® was planted May 5 by Lime Springs, Iowa. This tough hybrid that got hailed on, but it’s starting to turn green after the recent warmer weather. It’s important to keep scouting fields, assessing stands and controlling weeds.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Hail and straight line winds on Tuesday, May 16, caused this 200-acre field southwest of West Bend, Iowa, to be replanted. Click here for tips on assessing hail damage.

After digging seed from the ground, I saw hypocotyls and the cotyledons missing. It’s sad to say that more than 50% of the field looked like this.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Picket fence stands and uniform emergence begins at the planter. While planting, farmers need to get out of the cab periodically to check: (1) seed-to-soil contact; (2) planting depth and (3) seed spacing.

Planter adjustments are key when planting. Missing plants will decrease yield. Finding too many doubles is not only a waste of seed, it can also mean that your planting units are in need of adjustment or repair.

SuperStrips are exclusive to Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds and play an important role in our internal research program. The same group of soybean varieties and hybrids are planted in several locations across Latham Country, so we can gather data on how they perform across different environments and soil types. This data is then used to help our farmer-customers make product selections on a field-by-field basis.

Latham® Dealer David Boeding plants a Latham SuperStrip on his farm in eastern Iowa. Planter boxes are cleaned before a different variety or hybrid is planted, so we can be sure that row is pure.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

A two-day window before rain is forecasted is allowing many Central Iowa farmers to finish planting. This week we planted a Latham® soybean plot near Cambridge.

Webspec Admin

May 31, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: May 24

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Cool, wet weather has slowed root development and some plants are showing a yellowing or purplish leaf color. Warm weather should enhance development of the roots. Normally, there is no yield reduction from plant discoloration at this time in the growing season unless it’s fertility driven by low nutrient levels.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

We have cold saturated soils in Southeast South Dakota on the 23rd of May. Most corn fields are up and can be rowed on a drive by. Unfortunately, when you stop and look closely it, there is a bit of a yellow tint to it. These crops need sunshine and warm temps.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Things have really changed in the last week. Many areas received decent levels rainfall, which halted planting. Areas in Central South Dakota are still very dry, and areas in East Central South Dakota are very wet as more than 3″ of rain fell. Cool, cloudy weather slowed growth as you can see slight yellowing in corn. Emergence looks very good and even in corn and many soybeans are starting to crack.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Gary Geske and I planted Latham’s regional corn and soybean plot on May 23. Gary is pictured here, checking seed depth. The plot is located on the southwest corner of State HWY 10 and State HWY 9 near Glyndon, Minnesota.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

This field of LH 5095 VT2 was planted April 23. Rain, clouds and low temperatures this past week hasn’t promoted much growth. Once the sun returns, just watch that corn grow!

Even with our cloudy, cool spring weather we are only running 10 GDU days behind the historic mark for may according to the University of Minnesota Outreach Center in Lamberton.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

If we could get a string of sunny days, corn planting could wrap up in Wisconsin. Sunshine and warmer temperatures are also needed to push along crop development.

Latham® Hybrid LH 5099 SS was planted May 8 in Ripon, Wisconsin. This field shows uniform emergence and growth, but that’s not the case everywhere. Unfortunately, cooler temps are hampering growth across the region.

With the significant rainfall we have had, it is important that growers get out and walk fields as conditions allow.

Call your local Latham seed supplier or RSM at 1.877.GO.LATHAM if you would like a second opinion as to whether replant is needed. Additional tips are available online here.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

It was a beautiful, sunny day with temps near 70 degrees in early May when Latham dealers Frank and Matt Wyatt of Hudson, Iowa, planted their corn plot. We’ve received a lot of cold, rainy days ever since. Warmer days are in the forecast, so we these crops should turn the corner with sunshine and heat.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Due to rotator cuff surgery, Latham® dealer Marvin Beneke needed a helping hand picking up empty hard boxes from his customer’s farms. I thought was quite the neat collection of antiques at one of the stops we made.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Craig Christians, Latham Territory Sales manager, rode with me to visit Latham® Dealer Chris Chriss’ farm in western Illinois. Crop scouting and plant evaluation is part of my job at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. This plot emerged 8 days after planting.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Busy time collecting hard boxes and pallets. Few areas talking about replanting as well. Check your fields as soon as possible.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Parked equipment is a common site since we’ve experienced 7 days of rain. Fields are too wet to enter. We’re seeing a lot of ponding. With more rain on the way, it’s likely replant will be needed. Click here for replanting tips.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Phil Long, technical agronomist manager for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, and Darin Chapman, Latham regional sales manager in Northwest Iowa, are performing on-farm research with a multi-hybrid planter while flying our drone. In addition to studying multi-hybrid performance throughout the field, they also studying tillage practices and planter performance using FieldView. These studies will pair well with Latham’s Seed-2-Soil® agronomic services!

North Central Iowa & South Central Minnesota

Cory Greiman

Sourced by usclimatedata.com

Due to excessive rainfall, ponding is a common sight in fields throughout my territory. More than 16 inches of rain has fallen this season. On average, North Iowa receives about 7.7 inches of precipitation from January through May. Farmers will be busy checking fields and evaluating where replants are needed.

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

This is a picture of newly established field of Latham 400HVX Roundup Ready Alfalfa in western North Dakota. This field is very sandy/rocky. Overall, this field is a poor producer with a weed problem. This alfalfa was recently sprayed with Roundup, so we’ll be monitoring it to see how it controls weeds and yields.

Webspec Admin

May 24, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Soybeans, Spring, Weather
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: Week of May 17

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

This field of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ LH 3877 VT2 PRO RIB was planted May 4. Planting depth and spacing looked good. It also emerged really well.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

A nice rain fell Tuesday morning, so moisture is reaching planting depth. Warm, moist soils will lead to quick germination and emergence. It’s important to get pre-emerge herbicide applied before the crop emerges in no-till and minimum-till fields.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

A lot of planting progress was made this past week. We got plots planted for Estelline Co-op Grain in Estelline and B&B Sales at Dell Rapids.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Beautiful weather prevails! Crops are being planted at a record pace in Northeast South Dakota. Corn is all but finished, and soybeans are closing in on the finish line. Warm, sunny weather has given us a great window to get crops planted and moisture is expected this week to give them a drink.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Latham® Dealer Ray Beutz and his son, Matthew, planted a Latham corn SuperStrip plot on May 12 near Albany, Minnesota.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

This Latham Hybrid SuperStrip was planted Monday by Sanborn, Minnesota. While these plots are also good ways to promote local dealerships, SuperStrip plots are primarily used for in-house research. SuperStrips help us determine which products to keep, remove or add to our product lineup. Field notes are taken throughout the growing season and information is analyzed after harvest.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Almost 50% of corn acres and 15% of soybean acres are planted in Wisconsin. While we have a ways to go to finish #plant17, good weather should allow a lot of acres to be completed soon.

Latham® corn and soybean SuperStrip plots went in on all corners of the region this past week. We also planted a Latham Corn Silage plot in Barron County.

Fields that were planted between April 20-27 have finally pushed through the soil surface after poor growing conditions delayed emergence. This photo taken of LH 5885 VT2 PRO shows great emergence and early vigor when planted in a no-till situation.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Other Brothers Inc. recently joined that Latham® dealer team, and we’re excited to see them hit the ground running! Here Matt Saboe is pictured getting their Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids SuperStrip plot ready.

South Central MN & North Central IA

Cory Greiman

We’re able to row this field of LH 5099 SS RIB. This SmartStax Refuge in the Bag hybrid has earned Latham’s designation as a Gladiator hybrid, which means it has dual modes of action for above-ground insects including: Corn Earworm, Fall Armyworm, European Corn Borer and Southwestern Corn Borer. This particular hybrid also is a boss on Goss’s Wilt.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

A Latham customer near Osage, Iowa, put LH 5509 SS in the ground on Friday, May 12. The weather was absolutely beautiful. It was one of those days when you’re glad to have a reason to spend it outside.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Latham® dealer Kevin Squires is passing on the farming tradition to his son, Adam. The duo worked Monday to plant a Latham plot.

One advantage of working with family-owned, independent Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is the variety of options we provide. Here a farmer cooperator puts in a Latham® SuperStrip plot, which showcases different traits and technologies including LibertyLink soybeans.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

It’s been a crazy week of weather! Late Monday afternoon, May 15, storms moved across West Central and North Central Iowa. I was driving by the junction of Highways 3 and 17 just east of Goldfield when marble- to golf ball-sized hail began to fall. You could’ve snow plowed the hail because it was that heavy.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

It’s time to check emergence and stand. From what I have seen so far, the stand looks pretty good. Be sure to check all of your fields as recent rains may have caused some ponding and flooding in areas. Click here for tips on evaluating corn replant options.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Look at all the technology going into this plot! We planted a Latham soybean plot near Friend, Nebraska, with the following:

8 Roundup Ready 2 products
4 Balance GT*
6 R2 Xtend
1 ILEVO

**Balance™ GT Soybeans are not currently for sale by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds until Balance Bean herbicide (Isoxaflutole) receives full regulatory approval.

Webspec Admin

May 17, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Soybeans, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report for May 10

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

When conditions aren’t fit, the equipment sits!

Unfortunately, wet weather continues to plague my northern territory. Farmers here are eager to get seed in the ground but Mother Nature isn’t cooperating. This area experienced such a wet fall that some corn still needs to be harvested before planting can begin. About 0.5 inches of rain fell near Beltrami, Minnesota on Monday night. The good news is the extended weather forecast looks very favorable for timely spring planting!

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

LH 4242 has a nice sprout even in cooler fields with high residue east Enderlin, North Dakota. We are seeing good early vigor scores with Latham® seeds!

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

After a week of cold and wet weather, Mother Nature has done a 180! Farmers in Southeast South Dakota are now enjoying dry, warm conditions. Latham Dealers are busy loading both corn and beans this week. Lots of acres have been planted during the last seven days. I have also seen lots of applications being done by both ground and aerial sprayers.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Wisconsin’s corn acres are 15% planted while the soybeans are slow to go in the ground. Latham Corn SuperStrip plots were planted in Platteville and Ripon on Sunday and Monday, respectively. Some planters are currently postponed due to overnight rains in southern Wisconsin.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Soybean planting is starting to take off in Northwest Iowa. Perry Seeds is providing great customer service by delivering soybeans to a grower in Anthon, Iowa.

South Central Minnesota & North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

We’ve enjoyed about five straight days of clear skies and dry soils in North Central Iowa, but scattered showers starting falling Monday night across the area. Farmers raced against the clock to get as much seed in the ground before it got too wet. In the rain at 9:45 p.m. last night, I finished putting in my fourth Latham plot of the day.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Significant planting progress has been made this past week across northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. Latham Dealer Andy Hemann Stacyville, Iowa, planted 13 Latham numbers May 5 in a corn SuperStrip plot.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

All the sunshine and warm temps we’ve experienced recently have warmed the 4-inch soil temperatures from 60-66 degrees in western Iowa and from 62-71 in North Central Iowa. Lots of seed has gone in the ground this past week! The first Latham® soybean plot in my territory was planted May 6 by Jon and Jenna Ricklefs.

Pictured second is corn that was planted before the cold front moved in is started to emerge. This field of Latham 5939 SmartStax was planted April 11 south of Hardy, Iowa.

On the right is an awesome looking field of Latham 9700 that was planted last year. This particular variety is known for strong new stands and has a very strong disease resistance package.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Consistency is key for picket fence stands. Seed depth is just as important. Ideal planting depth for corn is 2 inches and for soybeans it is 1½ inches. Planting too deep can cause delayed emergence, uneven stands and possibly even stands that are crusted over if you would receive a hard, pounding rain right after planting. Planting too shallow will often result in poor root development and may affect the crop all the way to harvest.

At family-owned Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we enjoy doing business with farm families. Here Latham® dealer Rodney Bacon and his grandson are talking about how it’s time to get planting.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Farmers have been burning the candle at both ends in an attempt to cover as much ground as possible while the weather cooperates. Our Latham Dealer near State Center has very few units left to deliver as planting in this area is about 90 percent complete.

Northwest Iowa

Larry Krapfl

LH 5885 VT2 PRO is practically jumping out of the ground six days after planting.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

Root development looks great on the LH 5095 VT2 that was planted on April 24. Although it hasn’t yet emerged, it survived the cold weather. This corn will be popping up in rows after a few more days of sunshine.

Webspec Admin

May 10, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report for May 3

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

Temperatures averaged 9 to 12 degrees below normal across most of the state last week, and precipitation halted fieldwork. Planters are rolling strong now, especially from Valley City east into the Red River Valley of North Dakota.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Corn planted in 15-inch rows needs some warmer weather to emerge. Bare soil temps are running about 46 degrees here.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Planting is in full force. Most small grains are finished. Soil temps are finally warming again. Corn is being planted nearly everywhere in the northeast, except where high snowfall totals fell. Some places received 4 to 6 inches of snow last week with total moistures of nearly 2 inches. Where little moisture was received, soil conditions are ideal!

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

We have corn planters moving now that the weather has cleared! Approximately 5% of our corn acres have been planted as last week rain and snow fell across southeastern and East Central South Dakota.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Waiting!

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

May Day brought with it 1 to 2 inches of rain throughout much of southern Minnesota. Snow fell in a few western parts of the state, including in Sanborn, where I made this little snowman for our Latham® dealers.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

About 5% of the corn acres in Wisconsin have been planted. This past week was not suitable for planting as most of the state received around 2” of rain during the past 7 days. If the forecast holds true, we will see planters back in the field Friday at the earliest.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Technology has come a long way to help us achieve ultimate seed placement! This technology pairs well with Latham Hi‑Tech Seed’s FieldXField^TM program. I’m excited to be teaming up with Latham’s Technical Agronomist Phil Long on a multi-hybrid research project.

South Central MN & North Central IA

Cory Greiman

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Our area received about 3/4″ of rain on Sunday and Monday. The temperature of these wet soils was only in the upper 30s this week, but the soils are warming now that the sun is shining for the second consecutive day.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

With the wet and cold weather we had from last Thursday through Monday, soggy fields created planting delays. We could not plant, but there are always things that can be done on the farm. Several operators are hauling grain to market, and the Squires family finished restoring Kenny Squires 1466 over the weekend. Never a dull moment when you’re a farmer!

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

With the return of warmer weather, corn is starting to pop out of the ground near Rolfe in West Central Iowa. This field of LH 5095 VT2 PRO was planted April 11.

Seedlings have been slow to emerge due to so many days of wet, cold weather. This week I dug around in a field of Latham L2248 LibertyLink soybeans that were planted on April 22. Their sprouts are about a half-inch long, so I expect they’ll pop through soon given this week’s forecast.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

This photo of the farmer planting was taken April 27, and approximately 24 hours later, snow was falling! Only in the Midwest can we get these types of weather patterns. Planting conditions weren’t ideal from April 24-28.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Rain and below normal temperatures prevented planting across much of my territory. This photo was taken after 1.75 inches of rain fell around Anthon in western Iowa.

Webspec Admin

May 3, 2017

General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report for April 26
Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

As part of our FieldxField crop planning for alfalfa, we test for electro conductivity in soils. As is the case in this particular field with a high reading, we will plant LH 9300 ST salt tolerant alfalfa.
- LH 9300 ST salt tolerant alfalfa
Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Temperatures around Enderlin, North Dakota reached 50 degrees, but a cold front moved in Saturday night. Snow fell across parts of northern Minnesota and the Dakotas, so it’s not planting weather here now. Mostly small grains have been planted. Soil temperatures need to rise and fields need to dry before corn planting gets underway.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Very little progress in Northeast South Dakota this past week. Some fieldwork being done, small grains still being seeding and a handful of growers started on a little corn. Very cold this week and growers are waiting for warmer weather and soil temps. Current soil temps are lower 40’s.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

When it 37 degrees and overcast on the prairie, the seed sits safely in the shed.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Cloud cover is thick in Northern Minnesota as farmers wait for soil temps to rise and start #plant17

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

A Latham corn SuperStrip plot went in the ground near Morgan, Minnesota this week. These tests, which are proprietary to our company, play a key role in helping us select our product lineup as existing and experimental products are tested across multiple locations each year.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

In northern Wisconsin, farmers are waiting for the cover crops to be sprayed before they begin planting. This farmer experimented with multiple ways to seed cover crops in 2016. He seeded this rye with an airplane into standing soybeans about 2-3 weeks prior to harvest. Now that the soil has dried, spring fieldwork is underway and the first Latham corn plot has been planted south of Monroe, WI!

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

One of our new dealers prepares to deliver seed and treat soybeans.

South Central MN & North Central IA

Cory Greiman

Pictures above display soil temperatures dropping at a rapid pace.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Farmers across my territory are being cautious about planting because weather conditions could favor imbibitional chilling. Chilling effects are more severe when seeds are planted into soils 50 degrees F and then absorb colder water within the first 24 to 48 hours after planting.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

#Plant17 is taking place in Eastern Iowa! In addition to fieldwork, new this week is a 14 hybrid plot put in by Iowa City.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

When the calendar pages turn toward the end of April and seed corn is sitting in the shed, many farmers feel anxious about getting seed in the ground. Yields will be better when seed is planted into warmer soil at a later planting date than they will be if soil temperatures drop and cold rains fall shortly after planting. The biggest threat of imbibitional chillingis 24 to 48 hours after planting. When seed absorbs water colder than 50 degree F, loss of seed vigor and death may result.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Colder temps and forecasted rain has slowed corn planting across Central Iowa. You don’t want that first drink to be a cold one! Imbibitional chilling can have a big impact on corn yield potential. 24 to 36 hours after planting is critical; a chilling effect can occur when seed imbibes, or absorbs, water colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Imbibitional chilling
Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

This plot cooperator finished corn #plant17 when this Latham plot went in the ground.
Webspec Admin

April 26, 2017

Alfalfa, Cover Crops, Crop, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report for April 19

The time is here! #Plant17 has arrived, and farmers throughout the region are gearing up for the 2017 growing season. Pictures can often best portray what is happening in the world around us, so we have updated our weekly From the Field crop reports! We will be sharing #crop17 highlights throughout our marketing territory, with a photo or two to accompany it. These pictures are submitted from our Regional Sales Managers who are in the field every day with our dealers and customers. We hope you enjoy our first From the Field report for the 2017 planting season below!

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

Spring fieldwork in underway. Farmers in western North Dakota are applying anhydrous and focusing on getting small grains planted.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

There’s still snow in the ditches between Minot and Bismarck, so it’s evident that not all fields are fit for planting yet in North Dakota. Small grains are going in the ground in the southeast part of our state. One Latham® customer who lives north by Rolette said it might be mid-May before they’re able to get in the field.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Fog looms in Northeast South Dakota. Very little fieldwork and small grain seeding has been done here as soils are wet. Fieldwork is progressing in Central SD where moisture is lacking.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

A view of some spring prep work from the driver’s seat in South Dakota.

Planting conditions have been ideal for small grains in South Dakota!! Corn will have to wait, but until then small grains are in full swing.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Preventative maintenance is underway near Gilby, ND for spring planting.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

Rain showers have been falling this week across southern Minnesota, but the seed I’m moving around is under cover and dry.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Areas of the state were affected by winterkill on their alfalfa acres. Pictured here is a good stand of alfalfa in southern Wisconsin. It’s estimated that 75,000 to 100,000 acres of alfalfa in Wisconsin is suffering from some sort of winter damage.

As farmers wait for fields to dry out, there are still many farms that need to haul manure before planting can begin. A farmer is loaded up with turkey manure headed to the field, attempting to beat the rain.

A semi backs up to the seed shed of a dealer in Wisconsin. As the last bit of corn arrives, dealers are making sure to deliver seed to the growers before they hit the fields.

Seed sits in the shop awaiting dry weather to get planted. Most of the state has been blanketed with rain over the past two weeks, and more rain on the way Wednesday afternoon. Much of the state is waiting for the ground to dry out before working up any ground. Depending on how much rain is received Wednesday evening, I expect tillage equipment and planters to be rolling this weekend.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

This season we’re looking forward to conducting a variable planting rate and multi-hybrid research study for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds on our family farm near Spencer. Here my brother, Tim, and my six-year-old son and I are working on the multi-hybrid planter. Photo credit to my nephew, Dan, who’s studying Agricultural Systems Technology at Iowa State University.

We’ve been busy preparing our new planter, which is color coordinated. Blue indicates one particular hybrid and orange is another. Blue supplies the odd rows of the planter and orange supplies the even rows.

South Central Minnesota & North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

Winter kill is evident in alfalfa fields across North Central Iowa due to ponding and ice cover. Check out these articles on The Field Position to help evaluate winter kill and to manage alfalfa based on winter injury.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

A few units of seed has yet to be delivered as wet weather stalled planting progress here in North Iowa. Rain is in the forecast again this week for Wednesday and Thursday.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Farmers across western Iowa worked around rain showers to get seed in the ground. In this photo, LH 5096 VT PRO was being planted near Rolfe on April 11.

Latham® dealer Jenna Ricklefs making seed corn deliveries.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Latham® seed sorted and ready for delivery.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Latham dealer in Pella, IA discusses the benefits of using cover crops the last 3 years consecutive.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Pictured above is a great stand of alfalfa in western Iowa. Outstanding weather has contributed to the great stand is because of increased seeding populations. Research has shown a remarkable response to increased seeding populations.

Webspec Admin

April 19, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Soybeans, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Address These 3 Key Areas During Planter Prep
Only so much preparation can be done in the shop. Take the time to get out of the cab — or have someone else help — to check row spacing and planting depth. Observations and planter adjustments are key to successful emergence scores.

It doesn’t pay to have your equipment in top working condition if you don’t wait for fit planting conditions. Missing the optimum planting window may have a 2-5% impact on final yield but an uneven emergence could cause 5-9% yield loss! Plant according to soil and weather conditions rather than by the calendar.

Our Product Team spends countless hours in research plots and in our customers’ fields, taking field notes. Our mutual goal is to help you maximize yield potential by placing the right Latham® product in the right field. FieldXField™ yields!

Keep these three key areas in mind as you prepare your planter for spring:
1. Level the Planter Frame: As planters get wider, it’s important that frames are leveled from side to side and from front to back. This assures all row units have the same operating positions for disc openers and the parallel linkage works correctly. Also be sure all tires are properly inflated.
2. Proper Meter Calibration is Critical in Seed Singulation for Precision Planting: If possible, take your row units someplace where they can run on a calibration stand. While the planter boxes are removed, check all drive chains or cables for rust or kinks. The drives must work smoothly, so the meters run consistently.
3. Seed Drop and Placement: Inspect seed tubes for wear and replace as necessary. Installing a good seed firmer helps transition seed from the drop tube; it also firmly presses seed into the bottom of the trench, which aids planting depth consistency.
Be sure the opening wheels have a serviceable diameter and proper spacing, so the blades have a contact area of 1˝ to 2˝. If they are too wide, you will get more of a “W” in the seed trench, which affects planting depth. If there is too much pressure, discs will wear prematurely.

Gauge wheels and arms should be adjusted to just touch the side of the seed disc. Keep mud and debris from building up on the seed disc as it affects planting depth. Also ensure the closing wheels run true, so the trench closes over the seed.
Latham Seeds Agronomy Team

March 8, 2017

Agronomics, Precision Ag, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Ask the Agronomist: Replanting After a Freeze

Q: My corn was standing about 4 inches tall when we experienced a hard freeze last weekend. Now many of those plants look black, so I’m wondering whether to replant.

To listen to Mark’s response, click below.

A: Your newly planted crop may or may not bounce back, depending on its size when it was hit with the hard freeze. The growing point usually is above ground around V-6 to V-7. At this point of development, the corn seedling is about 6 to 8 inches tall, but that depends on the hybrid.

Regardless of crop size, the best thing to do if your crop was damaged is to wait 3 to 5 days after the freeze to evaluate damage. If corn plants are going to “stand back up,” you should be able to see it by this time. If they plants are still down, you’ll be able to gauge if a total replant is necessary or if you can just replant certain areas.

You can also dig up a few individual plants from different areas in your field and split them vertically to assess visual damage at the growing point. Typically, seedlings that have more than a 1/2 inch of healthy tissue above the growing point will develop into plants with high yield potential. Seedlings that have more tissue damage will likely not recover.

Click on the audio link to hear Latham’s senior agronomist and product manager Mark Grundmeier provide more details on the air with farm broadcaster Liz Brown of KOEL.

If you have a question about what you’re seeing in the fields, feel free to ask! Send your questions via Twitter to @LathamSeeds, in a private message on Facebook or call our office at 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).

Also be sure to check out TheFieldPosition.com for timely agronomic information. New articles are posted each week day on our blog. You can even search for “topics” by simply typing key words into the search bar on the upper right-hand corner.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s Ask the Agronomist. We’ll be back again next week to field all of your questions during #plant16.

Webspec Admin

May 19, 2016

Agronomics, Frost, General, Season, Spring, Weather