Summer is Over

With school back in session, and "paternity leave" from this blog finally over, it looks like it's time to get back to some posting.  It's been a busy summer full of applying herbicides, scouting crops, attending meetings, taking a family vacation etc.  The crop has had generally good growing conditions -- a bit too wet for the first half of the season -- and a bit too warm for the second half.  The hot summer has rapidly matured the crop.  (Simply put, heat ripens the corn, but sunshine makes the kernels bigger.  Hotter days = quicker to maturity = somewhat smaller ears/kernels).  We are still looking forward to a very good crop.

We expect harvest to begin as early as sometime next week.  That will be our earliest start ever -- and a full 5-6 weeks earlier than last year!!  We generally like to start harvesting when the corn is around 25-27% moisture.  Right now we have some down to just under 30%.  With warm sunny weather the corn can drop as much as 1% of moisture/day or even a bit more.

As I read the paragraph above I am reminded of last year.  Much of the corn never got below 30% moisture -- we were still harvesting corn that wet in December!

Welcome to the World

Today is an exciting day here on the farm!  We are pleased to welcome a new addition to our family -- Danielle Suzanne Walter was born this morning at 7:59, tips the scales at 7bls. 6oz. and measures out an even 20".  She joins her older siblings Sydney and Joshua and is resting comfortably.  As is her mother.

We are truly blessed.

Too Much of a Good Thing

I suppose I should have known we were off to just too good of a start this year.  3 rainstorms in 7 days totaling over 5.5" didn't do us any favors.  The last 3" fell on already saturated soils and just couldn't get away fast enough.

Most people without a farm background around here don't know it, but most of the fields in this geography are underlaid with miles and miles of drainage tile to help with sub-surface drainage.  Most of these tiles are installed between 24-72" deep and are between 4"-12" in diameter.  Typically they connect to one another and empty into an outlet such as a stream or drainage ditch.  Of course they flow by gravity and can only handle so much water in a given amount of time.  Too much, too fast this time.  Many of these tile are nearly 100 years old, made of clay and were installed by hand.  Often, there are no good records to show their precise location.  Typically we discover them when they quit working right.  Modern tile we install today are usually plastic and mapped using GPS so we know exactly where they are.

The big question now is what kind of mortality rate will we see.  Small corn (and soybean) plants like these can survive submerged under water for roughly 48-72 hrs.  After that, most don't make it.  As I write this, we have passed the 72 hr. mark and while much of the ponding is gone there is still plenty of standing water left in some areas.  The next question will be whether to try to replant these areas.  It's a bit of a crapshoot.  First they have to dry out enough to support the equipment (and there is more rain in the forecast tonight).  Then they have to be replanted early enough so that the plants won't be too far behind the rest of the field to reach maturity.  The whole replant scenario will cost over $100/acre to undertake as well.  And finally, you hate to go through all the work and expense only to have the replanted corn drown out again in a few weeks.  And even if it does make it, yields will likely be greatly reduced in those areas.  Fortunately we are facing this decision on less than 5% of our total acreage.

Any opinions?

If there was any silver lining in the after-math of the rainstorms it was this.  Sometimes mother nature has a way of bringing a tear to your eye.  And other times, she brings nothing but a smile. . .

Planting Finished

It's hard to believe that 1 year ago today we started planting our 2009 corn and soybean crops.  It was our latest start ever.

Today we finished planting soybeans.  It is our earliest finish ever.  This is despite the fact that we picked up some custom (for hire) fieldwork and added an additional 800 acres over what we planted last year.  Much of the corn is out of the ground and off to the races.  Early herbicide applications are nearly complete and seed sales are basically over.  Somebody pinch me!  It's a good year to finish early too -- in less than 3 weeks our family will be blessed with a new addition (and my wife Kristen says she's plenty ready too).

Here's hoping 2010 continues to make up for last year!

Jamie's Food Revolution (His not Mine)

Anybody talkin' 'bout the Revolution?  Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution that is.  Perhaps you saw the conclusion to his ABC series last week on t.v.  My wife and I watched every episode and frankly we were impressed.  For those that didn't catch the series, the gist of it was that Jamie Oliver (aka "The Naked Chef") was trying to promote a healthier diet through better cooking, the use of fresher and more diverse ingredients and a return to the family dinner.  Sounds simple enough and certainly within his wheelhouse.

At first, we were suspect.  I originally started watching the program concerned that a celebrity chef was about to hit the public over the head with a bunch of suspect science regarding their food and how it is grown and prepared.  For the most part, that didn't happen.  Instead I came away encouraged that Mr. Oliver was truly trying to make a difference.  Sure, it was a t.v. show.  But by the end I was convinced that he was trying to use the show as a vehicle for his message, and not the other way around.  The show spent much of the time looking at the school lunch program in a West Virginia town and trying to improve it.  His goal -- replace the pizza, chicken nuggets, fries and flavored milk with more wholesome and balanced fare.  Fresh veggies, fruits and meats prepared on site for the kids.  And get rid of all the sugar and flavored milk (as much as a can of soda).  While focused on the schools, he also spent a lot of effort educating the community about fresh, healthy food prepared and eaten at home with the family. 

Amen, brother.

Our nation has an obesity problem.  A full quarter of us fit that definition.  We didn't get there overnight, either.  Somewhere, between the working, running and texting we forgot how to eat.  Think of it like a three-legged stool.  WHAT we eat.  HOW MUCH we eat.  WHAT WE DO WITH what we eat.  

Society has confused healthy eating with "Organic," "All-Natural," "Grass-Fed," "Low Fat," "Low Sugar," etc.  For the most part it's not.  Think back to how Grandma used to cook (o.k., maybe minus the lard).  A variety of mostly fresh food prepared from scratch, eaten at home with the family -- and in moderation.  For the most part our kids weren't obese, they learned how to cook and they knew where their food came from.  And as a side benefit the family spent quality time together.

Join me in supporting Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Corn Planting Finished

Sorry I haven't posted the past couple weeks -- we've been kind of busy! Today we finished planting corn!! I think I've said it in each of my last several posts but it bears repeating again -- What a difference a year makes!  Today is only the 2nd time in the past 40 years that we have finished planting corn in the month of April.  Last year because it was so wet and cold we didn't start planting corn until May 4th.

These pictures were taken last week.  Before we can plant first we must prepare the seedbed by leveling and mixing the soil several hours before planting.  We use a field cultivator (above photo) to accomplish this task.  After this spring tillage pass, we then plant the field using a 24 row John Deere bulk fill planter (top photo).  With this setup we can plant anywhere from 250-350 acres/day depending on field size/shape, road-time and how long we want to work.  Usually we put in around a 14 hour day.  This year we didn't have to push too hard.  With the advent of auto-steer (see previous posts), dust, darkness and operator fatigue are no longer serious problems.

With larger equipment, more acres and fewer people, we have moved away from individual seed bags (roughly 50lbs. each) to bulk fill seed.  This reduces handling, speeds filling the planter and helps reduce operator fatigue.  The seed corn is loaded in large boxes (above photo) on a specially designed trailer that weighs and conveys the seed into the large yellow tanks on top of the planter. A fill takes about 15 minutes.  Once filled the bulk planter can plant around 200 acres.  Before bulk, we would have to spend 1/2 hour every 75 acres to fill the planter.  Bulk saves A LOT of time!

We plant the corn seeds about 1.75" deep and about 6.5" apart within the row.  Each row is 30" wide.  It always amazes me when I think about how many seeds we will plant in a single season.  This year we will plant about 34,000 seeds/acre.  That's 75 million corn plants on our farm this year!

The first corn we planted (on April 14th) is just spiking through the surface today.  Planting conditions have been nearly perfect this year and we expect a very high emergence (survival) rate.

Beside planting we have also been busy delivering seed to other farmers (a sideline business is seed sales) and spraying herbicides to keep our weed populations under control.  Yes, we use chemicals and are not an organic farm.  Done properly it is a safe and efficient way to maximize the production of a healthy and affordable food supply.  I plan to write more on that topic (and discuss the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution t.v. show in an upcoming post).

Cheers!

Planting Begins

We started planting corn yesterday.  That ties the earliest date we've ever planted.  Again, what a difference a year makes!  We will continue conservatively with an eye on the weather forecast.  No sense going like gangbusters (even if warm temps helps the corn emerge well) and risk freezing off too many acres with a late frost.  Every year is such a balancing act.  I'll write more and include a few pics when I get a bit more time.  Get the peas planted in your garden!

And We're Off

What a difference a year makes.  Last year at this time we were still dealing with snow, rain and cold temps.  We were weeks away from even thinking about fieldwork.  This year, thanks to some cooperation from mother nature, we are headed into Easter weekend with 80% of our Nitrogen fertilizer (mostly in the form of anhydrous ammonia) already applied.

This year we were able to run two application rigs pulling two tanks each.  Both rigs run autosteer which greatly improves efficiency because it eliminates overlap and allows the operator to run a longer day well past sunset and with less fatigue.

I tried shooting some video of the autosteer in action, but I was afraid that if I posted it I might make somebody seasick.  It's pretty bouncy.  I'm hoping I can shoot some smoother video during planting and will try posting that at a later date.  For those not familiar with autosteer -- it is basically robotic steering that runs off the same GPS system that the military (and your car's navigation system) uses.  The system we use drives the tractor with about a 3 inch or better accuracy level.  It has saved about 5% of the overlap we used to have when driven by a human.  That's 5% savings on fuel, fertilizer, seed, time etc.  Over a few thousand acres it's a pretty big deal.  Of course we still ride in the tractor to keep everything under control.

One final note, during this Easter weekend we will be taking the day Sunday to spend with our God and our families.  We hope you are able to do the same.

Blessings.

Here Comes the Heat!

70 degrees!  Spent the weekend doing yardwork with the family.  Trees are budding all over the place.  It seems like forever since we last had that kind of heat.  Weatherman is calling for 70's from Wed. this week clear through Sat.  That's great news this time of year.  Soil temps around here are still only around 35 degrees at a 4" soil depth.  Water doesn't move through cold soils nearly as quickly as it does once the soils warm up a bit.  The surface has dried nicely.  Now all we need are a few sunny, warm days (preferably with some wind) and we will be ready to head to the field to begin applying our Anhydrous Ammonia (Nitrogen).

With a little luck we will get several good days of field work in before Easter.  When things go reasonably well, we can get around 500 acres/day of anhydrous applied.  That's important for our farm because we made a conscious decision around 10 years ago to put all our anhydrous on in the spring in order to limit environmental loss.  That decision creates a bit of a crapshoot every year weather-wise and that's why we get so excited to see early season warm temps.  Wish us luck!

And enjoy the weather!

HSUS says, "Look at the Cute Little Puppies . . ."

Who here doesn't have a soft spot for the strays found in your local animal shelter?  There probably isn't a better way to support animal welfare than to adopt a pet or donate to your LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER. But folks, pay attention YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES.


If that seems a bit confusing to you, that's because it's meant to be.  You see, the HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES (HSUS) is an animal rights group -- NOT an animal welfare group.  By design they deliberately trick people into donating to their organization.  Well-intended donors think they are donating to help the local shelter of their local humane society but instead the #1 thing the $ is used for is to fight animal agriculture and the consumption of meat on a global scale.

Here is a link to an excellent explanation of the HSUS:  Humane Society of the United States

This may not be on your radar today, but it's huge in the agriculture community.  HSUS is raising well over $100 million annually to fight farmers.  And they fight dirty.  They use lots of emotionally charged mis-information to promote their agenda.  Get the facts.  Google "HSUS + truth" and see for yourself.

Hope Springs Eternal

Spring has sprung!  The snow has melted (almost) and the robins have arrived. I can hear a cacophony of frogs in our slough (that tells me the frost is almost out of the ground).  And our gravel road is turning to mud.  Ahhh . . . spring. Soon we will begin applying anhydrous ammonia (our Nitrogen source) to the fields in preparation for our corn crop.  For those interested, that's what's in those big white tanks you may see in farmer's fields in the spring.  When the weather is right (dry soil and warmer temps) we sometimes start in late March.  Usually we are full bore in early April.  We generally hope to start planting corn around April 20th -- give or take -- and soybeans following right after completing corn.

The fields are calling.

Happy National Ag Day!

Tomorrow is National Agriculture Day.  As the culmination of National Agriculture Week, tomorrow would be a great day to thank a farmer.  Here in the U.S. we are lucky to have the world's safest and most affordable food supply.  Consumers here need only spend 9% of their income to have more than enough food to eat.  In many parts of the developing world the majority of their consumer's income is still spent on acquiring just enough food to survive.

So in honor of National Ag Day, perhaps you can join me in praising God for our blessings, our farmers and take a minute to make a donation to help reduce hunger somewhere in the world. A great site to help you find a worthy charity can be found at Bread For the World.  You can navigate directly to it by clicking the "Happy National Ag Day" headline in this post.

To Insure or Not to Insure. That is the Question.

Monday March 15th was the application deadline for farmers in our area to sign up for the Federal Crop Insurance Program.  This program is a public/private partnership between the federal government and private insurance companies.  In essence, the feds and the private insurance industry share the risk of liability (and reward of underwriting gains if they receive more premium than are paid out in claims).  The private insurers "deliver" the product to farmers and the feds pay the companies a fee for administration and overhead.  In addition, the feds subsidize a portion of the premiums paid by farmers.  In most instances farmers pay the majority of the premium and have the freedom to choose whether or not they wish to participate at all.  They can choose among several different types of insurance as well as different deductibles as well.  Generally speaking the insurance products are based on crop yields alone or some combination of crop yields x price (in other words gross revenue).

Full disclosure here -- besides being a user of crop insurance (as a farmer) I am also a purveyor (as an agent).  But being both gives me a somewhat unique view.  Over the past several years, the feds have been reducing the premium (and delivery) subsidies.  Doing so is steadily making the insurance program costlier to deliver and to utilize by farmers.  We are seeing more and more farmers taking less and less insurance as their costs escalate.  Don't get me wrong, on the one hand I get it.  Federal budget deficits being what they are we all have to tighten our belts.  On the other hand, as taxpayers and food consumers we need to understand that ultimately farmers must be profitable to stay in business.  Historically, in farm-disaster situations, Congress would often pass ad-hoc disaster assistance legislation.  This type of assistance was wholly taxpayer funded, fairly inefficient, and too often politically motivated.  There were often "disasters" every year (especially in hotly contested Congressional districts).

That's why I think private/public partnerships like the current crop insurance program are better.  Everybody shares in the risks and rewards.  Taxpayer/consumers, farmers, private industry and the feds are all in the same boat.  Run well, crop insurance can help maintain a safe and affordable food supply, help keep farmers in business and result in long term savings to taxpayers and the federal government.  Shift the burden too much to any one party and the whole thing could fall apart.  That would be a shame.

They Came, They Saw, They Ate.

Today we hosted our 4th grade field trippers from Southeast Elementary in Sycamore, IL.  All in all I think it went pretty well.  The kids generally seemed engaged and interested.  They asked lots of good questions and paid attention to A LOT of new information thrown at them in a relatively short amount of time.  They were accompanied by several teachers, aides and parent chaperones who were a big help.  I also need to give a special "shout out" to Rhodora Collins who is the Ag Literacy coordinator for the DeKalb County Farm Bureau.  She does a fabulous job and is a huge asset to the teachers and students in this area.

The kids learned all about field corn and soybeans (with an emphasis on corn since that is the majority of what we grow), got to see some equipment (and sit in a tractor), dissected corn kernels and toured our grain processing and storage facility. They completed a quiz and got to tell us why they would (or wouldn't) like to be a farmer someday. We got some great answers:

One student said she, "would like to be a farmer so she could take care of animals and crops.  Plus go in big tractors."

Another thought he would like to farm "because you can do lots of cool stuff."

And finally, one thought it better to take a pass, "because you have to buy a lot of expensive equipment and it is a lot of work."

They learned about the different parts of a corn kernel, what corn can be used for, how it is grown and why farming is important to them. We got a chance to share our message about how farmers like us work hard to conserve resources, protect the environment and maximize production all at the same time. The role of biotechnology, precision agriculture (GPS farming), renewable energy and other similar topics were also discussed. Many of the kids seemed surprised to find out how expensive the equipment and crop inputs were. I always think the size and scope is mind-boggling as well. To think that 35 billion kernels of corn are produced from 60 million ears of corn on our farm every year still amazes me too.

After a great lunch of hot dogs and corn chips (of course!) the kids got to head next door to visit the cow/calf cattle ranch at Friedlund Farms.  There they learned a bit more about the role of livestock in agriculture and the human food chain.  The cows had several new calves and also performed a number of normal bodily functions much to the amusement of the children.  

What impressed me most was that in a relatively short time the kids seemed to truly grasp WHERE their food comes from.  

It's a good reminder for us all.  Food doesn't come from the grocery store.  It comes from the farm.  

And a lot of hard work goes into feeding the world.

Southeast Comes Calling . . .

Here they come! We are busy today preparing for our first school field trip of the year. Tomorrow we are going to be graced by about 55 students from the 4th grade of Southeast Elementary in Sycamore, IL. My youngest brother, Jon, is the teacher for one of the classes there and will be guiding the students along a tour of our local farm bureau, our farm and a neighbor's cow/calf operation. Hopefully the kids will gain a better understanding of where their food comes from, how it is produced, and why agriculture is important to us all.

Welcome! (Why a blog??)

Welcome to the Walter Farms blog . . .The Latest Dirt!

Walter Farms is a family owned commercial grain farm in Northern Illinois. We raise field corn and a few soybeans on a couple thousand acres of some of the best soils in the world. We are located approximately 60 miles (100km) west of Chicago right off of Interstate 88 in DeKalb. Over the course of a production year, we receive many visitors to our farm. One of the things we have been asked is if there is a way we can share what's happening on our farm with people who are interested but can't stop out and see us.

To be honest, this is an experiment for us. We are farmers first -- being a blogger is not something we are familiar with. But we are game to try if there is an interest. Periodically we will try to post some info, pictures and perhaps a few comments regarding what's going on on our farm, as well as the agricultural field in general, that we hope you will find interesting and educational.

Wish us luck . . .