Oct_15

October 15,2006

Today was a beautiful day to combine! We got our yields done on the Soybeans. Joe Breker, one of the board members, offered to do the beans and today was the day. I need to get the numbers put together but it looks like mid 40s should cover most of the plots. One plot should be real close to 50. A couple were in the mid 30's that had some poor soils and weed problems. We may have to look at some sts beans next year. One of the poor plots was early wild oats that got away while I was struggling with corn planting. The other weed problem plot is a little tougher, volunteer round up ready canola. I hear that is a problem that is occurring elsewhere. We had canola on the plots 3 years ago and it is proving to be persistent. Overall I was happy with the yields. We are looking forward to getting all the plots lined up with RTK so that we can strip till, plant in between rows, spray, and cut plot edges accurately.

The winter wheat is looking wonderful. It got a little chilly last week. One morning I had 16. I guess it is getting that time of year. Just happy I had anti freeze in the sprayer, which I will need to break out to hit the soybean plots. Foxtail barley has gotten to be an issue so I will attempt to slow that down so as not to be a problem in the spring wheat.

I knocked out 6 corn plots. Moisture was a little high at 23 to 20. Of the six plots combined, the yields looked to vary from 120 to 180, roughly adjusted for moisture. With just those few done, I can't speculate too much, but I think corn planted on strip till wheat stubble may out yield the corn on corn by 40-50 bushel. We will see what the rest of the plots do. Many people are starting on corn in the area with some moistures in the mid to upper teens. The elevator is right next door to our office and there has not been a lot of activity yet, but I am sure next week will get busy if the rain does not come.

have a good week.

Kelly Cooper- farm manager