Corn silage harvest is already underway and grain harvest will soon follow. Are you ready for an early harvest? Keep these three things in mind when putting together your harvest checklist:
1. Develop a plan. A good plan will outline in order of importance which fields to harvest first. The main consideration when contemplating your harvest order is focusing on fields exhibiting potential for Stalk Rot and subsequent Stalk Lodging. Secondary concerns include hybrid maturity, crop residue management and logistical concerns.
2. Get in your field. Once a harvest plan is developed, get out in your field and assess crop progress and identify potential problem areas. Being aware of crop progress and insect and disease pressure at all times is the best way to ensure maximum yield. If challenges do arise, you might have to harvest early. I am available to help in determining which fields may need to be harvested first. Please don’t hesitate to call!
3. Prepare equipment. Make sure you check machinery and conduct necessary maintenance prior to harvest. I have witnessed growers who, due to conditions like Stalk Rot, should have been harvesting a week earlier than they actually did. They simply weren’t prepared for an earlier harvest, and as a result, they lost thousands of dollars worth of crops that could have been saved.
If there was ever a day fit for riding motorcycles or driving a convertible, it was August 27! More than 110 drivers and riders revved their engines under clear blue skies and sunshine for the 3rd Annual Latham Freedom of Independence Ride.
Riders crossed the Mississippi aboard the historic Cassville ferry.
The 90-mile route took riders and drivers across some of the most scenic roads in northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. Participants traveled winding roads in both states, crossing the Mighty Mississippi on this historic Cassville ferry. We’d like to give a “shout out” to Ron Hampton and the hardworking captain and crew members, who made our ferry ride memorable for all of the right reasons!
Along the way, riders and drivers stopped at four different farm fields. These stops showcased: (1) Latham’s hallmark Seed-2-Soil® program, whichhelps increase a farmer’s profitability and efficiency by bringing more meaning to grid samples and geo-reference yield data; (2) new corn technology including Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids with VT Double Pro, the industry’s first dual mode-of-action with above-ground insect protection in corn, and Refuge-in-a-Bag, a true one-bag system that simplifies refuge;
Our “field day on wheels” included four Latham® crop stops.
(3) new soybean products including Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans with LibertyLink and Genuity® Roundup® Ready 2 technology, which is showing great yield advantages and economic benefits to our customers; and (4) Latham’s business philosophy, which focuses on partnering with farmers to select the seed products that best fit their needs.
Check out the Kodak moments on Latham’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/LathamSeeds. And mark your calendars now for Latham’s 4th Annual Freedom of Independence Ride on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012. You’ll want to join us as we celebrate our company’s 75th year of business with an extra special ride through Latham Country!
I said I was going to ride this year, and I did! This year a cooler, next year a Harley?
Serving Up “Cowboy Caviar” in Honor of the Dayton Rodeo
It’s “Date Night” tonight and “Kids’ Night” tomorrow at the annual Dayton Championship Rodeo in Dayton, Iowa. Load up the truck (mini van or SUV) and head to North Central Iowa for a weekend of affordable family fun at the 74th annual event. From carnival rides, flea markets and Bingo, there’s sure to be something of interest to everyone!
Nightly performances, at 7:00 Friday through Sunday, will feature bull riding, saddle bronc riding and barrel racing. There will also be a 1:30 p.m. performance on Labor Day.
“It takes a lot of people, who worked really hard, to make this a great holiday weekend event,” says Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ sales manager Jim Heckman, who’s in his third year as chairman of the Dayton Rodeo Committee. “We’re happy to bring contestants, the rodeo committee and the community together.”
Pulling everyone together involves lots of “behind the gates” coordination. That’s why the Dayton Rodeo Committee contracts with Cervi Rodeo Company. “You have to have good bucking horses, bucking bulls and a lot of fighting bulls,” says Mike Cervi, whose family has been in the rodeo stock business for more than 60 years. “You need color in the front and the employees in the back to make it run smoothly.”
Keeping everything running smoothly also includes the chow line! Today Mike Cervi shares with us one of his favorite recipes for Cowboy Caviar. It also sounds like a great recipe to serve this weekend at a get together with family or friends.
Corn Rootworm and the Soybean Variant: Volunteer Corn Creates "Safe Harbor" for Rootworm
While driving across the Iowa countryside this summer, one can’t help but notice all the stalks of volunteer corn ascending from the soybean fields like a sentry on duty. A sentry usually prevents the passage of unauthorized persons. In a cornfield, however, the volunteer corn actually serves as a “safe harbor” for corn rootworm.
Corn rootworms essentially need corn to survive. That’s why a corn-soybean rotation has been an effective control measure. When corn appears in a bean field, however, the rootworm beetles have a food source and then a place to lay their eggs. Most eggs are laid in the upper 6” of soil during late summer. Eggs remain dormant until the following spring, so they’re “ready to feast” on the next crop of corn.
Applying a tank mix treatment to clean up volunteer corn will help you avoid the soybean variant in the rootworm beetle on your acres in 2012. Click the video link below for more information. Additional information on the soybean variant of western corn rootworm is available from this publicationby Iowa State University.
When asked to join the 2011 Iowa /Uganda Farmer-to-Farmer Exchange, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve been raising row crops and beef cattle in Franklin County since I graduated from Iowa State, and so I understand first-hand some of the challenges women face as farm operators.
I was eager to learn about the challenges facing Ugandan farmers in general – and women farmers in particular – and this trip has been quite eye-opening to say the least. There are so many differences between our two countries and our two cultures. For starters, the entire country of Uganda is slightly larger than the state of Iowa. But Uganda has a population of 34 million people as compared to Iowa with just 3 million! When we tell the Ugandans there are more hogs than people in Iowa, they laugh.
The average farm size is 4 acres in Uganda, but we met one very successful woman who has 250 acres. This is a lot of work considering it is all done by hand. I have yet to see one tractor or even an ox plow.
This lack of equipment creates some challenges for farmers to get their product to market. For example, Tuesday we visited the Kamuli Mill. Farmers bring their white corn here where it is either sold directly to the mill or ground.
There are also middlemen involved because many farmers don’t have a way to transport grain to the mill. In order to afford hired transportation, a farmer must have large enough quantities of grain. A farmer could receive better prices if the grain gets transported to a larger market. That’s why I’m working on a project to help farmers market collectively for better prices.
It’s hard to believe that I only have four more days here! The farmers we have met in Uganda have been so appreciative of our help. They’re especially appreciative of everyone who is making this exchange possible. The 2011 Iowa /Uganda Farmer-to-Farmer Exchange and development project is coordinated by the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Global Program, in collaboration with the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at ISU, and VEDCO, a non-profit organization based in Uganda. The project is funded by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) through Weidemann Associates.
We’ve been invited to a Labor Day potluck on a farm north of Sheffield, where the kids can enjoy one last dip in the pool while adults relax one last time on the patio before our kids’ fall sports schedules and weather conditions determine our schedules for us! Because this party will be more like a “farewell to summer,” I want to bring a dish that is fitting for the season. I also need to keep in mind that both kids and adults alike need to find it appealing. Then I remembered a recipe that I received recently while visiting Wisconsin.
I have to admit that I never would’ve tried this salad recipe if it hadn’t come recommended by Rebecca Bailie because I’ve always enjoyed recipes she’s shared with me in the past. As soon as you read the list of ingredients, you might agree that it’s a relatively unusual combination. It really tastes more like dessert, but I’m going to tell myself it counts as a serving of fruit. I might even count a Chocolate Zucchini Cupcake as a serving of vegetables. That means I could still make Brownies in a Roaster for dessert. 🙂
How do you plan to save the last of summer? I’m always interested in new recipes that make use of in-season fruits and vegetables. Perhaps you’d like to share one with me!
Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) continues to threaten the profitability of soybean production, regardless of growing conditions. That’s why Iowa State University (ISU) Nematologist Greg Tylka encourages farmers to collect fall samples.
There are two main reasons to collect soil samples for SCN this fall:
SCN spreads into new fields every year. SCN is very easy to keep in check when population densities (numbers) are low, and numbers will be low when SCN first becomes established in a field.
Growers who have managed SCN with resistant soybean varieties for several years should take soil samples following the soybean crops to determine what the current SCN population densities are and to gauge if SCN egg numbers are increasing on resistant soybean varieties. If fall sampling is done to determine if a field is infested with SCN, it makes sense to sample in harvested cornfields where soybeans will be grown in 2012.
Steps on how to take fall soil samples for SCN are available in the August 18 issue of The Gold Standard by the Iowa Soybean Association. More information about the biology, scouting, and management of SCN can be found at www.soybeancystnematode.info.
With football (and thus tailgate) season right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about ice cold beverages and game day fare. It’s also time to pull the tailgate coolers out of hibernation. Most fall football days, heading to the game party means packing the cooler to the brim with snacks and drinks, dumping in some ice and heaving the heavy thing into the trunk. Then you hope your final tailgate destination doesn’t require a long walk with cooler in tow!
That’s the old way to tailgate. One lucky participant in Latham’s Third Annual Freedom of Independence Ride will get to experience the new way to tailgate this football season. One lucky rider will win the Cruzin Cooler, valued at $500. This cooler doesn’t require heavy lifting. You simply pack it up, hop on, and ride! Designed to help individuals keep beverages cool without the hassle involved with a regular cooler, the Cruzin Cooler holds a case of your favorite frosty beverages. Plus, it can travel at speeds up to 17 miles per hour!
Check out the cooler in action by viewing the video below.
“Labor of Love” Leads to Tours of Historic Tyden No. 6 Farm
NORTH CENTRAL IOWA FARM COUPLE ROLLS OUT THE WELCOME MAT, AUG. 26-28
“Visit the past with a touch of the present,” is the inviting headline on a brochure about Tyden No. 6 Farm Tours. Ted and Judy Pitzenberger of Dougherty, Iowa, are opening their 10-acre homestead to guests on Aug. 27-28. There is a limit of 40 people per tour, so call 641-794-3341 today to reserve your spot!
“We’ve really enjoyed restoring this place, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fun if we couldn’t share its history and the story of Emil Tyden with others,” says Ted, as he and Judy walk with me inside the stately barn.
Col. Emil Tyden
Col. Emil Tyden, a Swedish immigrant, came to this country in the 20th century with only $20 to his name and went on to become a successful inventor and entrepreneur. He held 200 patents, and one of those was for a metal seal that is still being used by railroad and trucking companies today to secure freight. With profits from his manufacturing businesses, Tyden built eight farms in Floyd and Butler Counties.
Tyden’s farms were extremely unusual at the time as he built them during the Great Depression and he built them with grandeur. But, he also built them to be functional and profitable. The video link below includes an interesting 5-minute documentary on Col. Tyden and his North Central Iowa farms. (NOTE: WHO Radio listeners may recognize the narrator’s voice of beloved farm broadcaster Lee Kline, who is Judy’s second cousin.)
The Pitzenberger family has been connected to the landmark Tyden farms for years.
“We started our married life at Tyden No. 3 in the hired hand’s house because Ted’s dad lived in the main house,” says Judy. “Then we had a chance to buy Tyden No. 6 and moved here in 1994.”
Tyden No. 6 has been a “labor of love” for the past 17 years and it shows. The Pitzenberger farm has been named “one of the prettiest farms” by Our Iowa magazine. They have taken great care to restore the massive red barn, which measures 40 x140 feet and could hold 20,000 bales of hay. Another of the farm’s distinguishing features is a 60-feet tall corn crib made from concrete block. There is also a summer kitchen stocked with pans, utensils and bottled soap from Judy’s family. And as a young boy, Ted ate cookies straight from this oven that is the cornerstone of the summer kitchen.
The Pitzenbergers have so many interesting stories to tell. Ted also makes sure he gets the story behind each piece of vintage farm equipment he buys. Most recently, he purchased a horse- drawn sickle mower that he literally had to cut out of a tree. He learned it was used in 1920s.
Even their flower beds tell stories! Family heirlooms in the flower gardens add charm and whimsy. A rock garden displays their family tree by including stepping stones with footprints of Ted and Judy’s parents in some and footprints from some of their 13 grandchildren in others. (Grandchild number 14 will arrive in September.)
With an appreciation for history and a love of agriculture, it’s only fitting that the Pitzenbergers are the owners and caretakers of a farm listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also fitting that they’re carrying on the legacy that Col. Emil Tyden left of “implementing science into farming practices” with the way they raise crops today. They farm beside two of their sons, Phil and Ian, in Floyd and Butler Counties. Their oldest son, Troy, lives in New Hampton with his family. Their youngest daughter, Jenay, lives in Cedar Rapids with her family.
When this family gets together, there’s sure to be good times and good food like Judy’s versatile Amish Butter Cookies. I’m looking forward to mixing up a batch soon!
Increased GDUs Hurried Crop through Grain Fill Period
Guest blog by
John Toft, CCA
We’ve all heard the expression, “Haste makes waste.” When we hurry through a job, the job is not done as well or as thoroughly as it could have been. The same is true for corn production. The increased growing degree units hurried this year’s crop through the fill period, thus reducing yield in most instances.
The following statistics provide a seasonal comparison originating from the temperatures and growing degree units over the past 34 years at my farm near Tekamah, Neb. You’ll see comparisons between the 2011 season and last year, plus two other particularly challenging years. Pay close attention to the nighttime lows greater than or equal to 700F, the high greater than or equal to 900F, and the days with a low greater than or equal to 700F and a high greater than or equal to 900F.
As noted in an earlier post, when night-time temperatures do not fall below 70 degrees, plants don’t get time to rest. When the plants don’t rest, they continue to work excreting sugars through open stoma rather than utilizing those sugars for grain fill. The plants run out of energy causing tip back on ears and reduced yield.
This graph shows GDUs from April 1 to August 11 as well as Stress Units observed during this same time period. You'll notice that GDUs were adequate, but the amount of Stress Units were well over the 33-year average.
Note: click on the graphs to enlarge, then click the “back” button to return to this post.
This graph shows comparisons for the month of July, a critical month for pollination and beginning grain fill stages. Pay particular attention to the days with possible stress units as well as the days with lows greater or equal to 70.
Does the late planting combined with limited rainfall and extreme heat mean that this fall’s harvest will be bad? No, most farmers will still get a good crop. It’s just that this year’s crop will most likely not reach its full yield potential. For example, a 20% yield loss on a field that had a 220-bushel per acre potential will still see yields of 175 to 180 bu/A.
grain to the mill. In order to afford hired transportation, a farmer must have large enough quantities of grain. A farmer could receive better prices if the grain gets transported to a larger market. That’s why I’m working on a project to help farmers market collectively for better prices.
