This edition of Farm Week in Pictures takes us into June already! Planting has been done for over a week now so we are tending to the growing crop. We sold and delivered some of last year’s crop this week and spent some time between rains fertilizing corn. The weekend was a wet one so I’m not sure how soon we’ll get back to the rest of the corn and popcorn, but it’s going to be hungry for Nitrogen!
Start Your Engines!
We started the week by taking in the Indy 500! This was my first time at the race. I live in Indiana so I’d better go at least once right? It was really a great race to see in person with a record smashing 68 lead changes combined with a record pace. Tony Kanaan got his first 500 victory.
Before the race a group of runners who weren’t able to complete the 2013 Boston Marathon due to the terrible bombing that took place were able to have a symbolic finish by crossing the yard of bricks at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The vertical till was washed and prepped for storage early in the week.
Move it, Move it!
We moved the auger to another bin in order to load dent corn for the few loads we sold this week.
Out Standing in My Field
I walked some fields to see if they were dry enough to go out a side dress some fertilizer on the growing corn crop. This particular spot was a bit wet!
These weeds may be small, but they are numerous. They’ll need to be dealt with soon as they’ll be wanting the same water, nutrients, and sunlight the corn crop is after. We call these either velvet leaf or button weeds.
No Longer Under Cover
Soybeans are beginning to emerge through the cover crop residue!
Feeding Time!
This tool injects nitrogen fertilizer (anhydrous ammonia) into the soil. Splitting our application of N pre and post plant means we are coming back to feed the corn when it needs this macronutrient the most. This practice should also help mitigate the risk of nitrates leaching into the groundwater if wet conditions prevail which they definitely have this spring. Fall and pre-plant applications are applied with N-Serve which inhibits the possibility of leaching. Manure applications can use a similar product called Instinct. Later spring applications like we are doing now do not need the added inhibitor because the plants are ready to use the N in a relatively short amount of time.
Coming Along Nicely
Some of our corn looking really good!
Double Up Times Two!
Dad and I have both been running applicators this week. The applicators come from the fertilizer dealer. This is our first time pulling these tandem tanks and they work very well. We can cover more acres with each wagon and damage less corn by needing to hook up less wagons. Over the course of a day these doubles keep the applicators running a fair amount longer than a single tank. As you can see all the equipment is designed to stay off the corn rows until you have to turn around. At this growth stage the growing point of the plants is low enough to the ground or possibly below ground. That means almost all the plants we do run over will come right back in short time. As corn plants get taller the growing points will be at risk from high winds and hail storms.
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Good to see the photos and explanations. I manage a small family farm in Central, IL. I ride along with my cousin, an experienced farmer, who does all the planting and harvesting on our place as often as possible. So much of this stuff like applying anhydrous that you just take for granted when you live in the Midwest. Great to have an explanation of what is being done and why.
Thanks, Mark! Hope to get a side dress video up soon.
I enjoyed reading you blog a lot! It is interesting to me to see how the different production agriculture farms are so diverse! I don’t know a lot about corn production, but the exports of your product is quite interesting to me. Where do you typically send your crop after harvesting it? Also, I know you are busy, but if you find maybe five minutes, could you please take a look at my website and let me know what you think? It’s in the baby stage of it’s life, but any and all advice is greatly appreciated!