Like all farm families, we know what it feels like to win big. We also know the agony of defeat. We watched helplessly, like so many of you during the last week of August, as winds reaching 92 miles per hour wreaked havoc across the Upper Midwest. When the skies cleared, we saw that our brand NEW Premier Agronomy Center had taken a terrific beating. Which was so unfortunate for our traditional live-on-the-farm Field Day.
The spirit of agriculture and America’s farmers is strong. Thankfully, technology allows us to share some of those research highlights with you. The program lineup includes our premier agronomy center, discussion on what we are seeing around the Midwest and new technologies and how to best use them.
#AskTheAgronomist: Planting Depth Effect on Ear and Root Development
Planting depth matters! In this week’s #AskTheAgronomist, our special guest Corn Product Manager Lyle Marcus shows results from some on-farm studies on the effects of planting depth on plant, root and ear development.
#AskTheAgronomist: Late-Season Scout Now to Create Success Next Season
Recent heavy rains combined with high temperatures can create isolated cases of soybean disease. In this episode of #AskTheAgronomist, Precision Agronomist Phil Long addresses the basics of the big six and the benefits of late-season scouting to create success for next season.
With 19 returning starters from last year’s Fiesta Bowl championship team and a #7 ranking in the Associated Press’ preseason poll, Iowa State University (ISU) fans are fired up for the Cyclones’ season opener on Sept. 4. Another highly anticipated game will be played Sept. 11 as part of the annual Cy-Hawk Series.
There have been years – more years than most Cyclone fans want to admit – when the only things that got fired up on Game Day were grills. Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ General Manager Ryan and Meg Schon started honing their tailgating skills 25 years ago when their favorite team didn’t have a hope of post-season play, and “Tailgate Victoriously” became their rally cry.
Among the sea of pickup trucks and campers parked near Jack Trice Stadium, you’ll find creative tailgating vehicles like converted school buses and repurposed ambulances. This year marks the fourth season that Latham® Seeds Dealer Sean Waldstein will host family members and friends for tailgates before the Cyclone football games in a converted ambulance.
This year marks the fourth season that Latham® Seeds Dealer Sean Waldstein will host family members and friends for tailgates before the Cyclone football games in a converted ambulance.
“This year is an exciting step forward for ISU football,” says Sean Waldstein, who grew up cheering for Iowa State as both of his parents are alumni.
Retro logos add flare to the Waldstein tailgate ambulance.
After graduating in 2000 from Sioux Central High School, Sean attended classes at ISU where he completed his undergrad studies in Exercise Science. He volunteered for the ISU football strength program and completed an internship at the University of Wyoming in its strength program. He went on to earn his master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Iowa State. While attending Iowa State, Sean met his wife, Amanda, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from ISU and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Drake University.
The newly married couple made their home in Urbandale, Iowa, where Sean worked as a strength coach for Drake University and then ISU. In 2013, they moved near Lincoln, Nebraska, where Sean worked in corporate wellness and Amanda was able to stay home. In 2017, Sean and Amanda decided to raise their children near family and moved back to Sean’s hometown in Northwest Iowa. Amanda works as a Salesforce administrator / business analyst, and Sean farms with his dad. The Waldstein family grows corn and soybeans, as well as raises pigs.
Retro logos add flare to the Waldstein tailgate ambulance.
In addition, Sean works as a substitute teacher and coaches junior high girls basketball. He drives the bus mostly for the teams he coaches and helps with the school’s weight program. Sean and Amanda are the proud parents of two daughters and one son. Their oldest daughter, Ryleigh, is a freshman in high school and a four-sport athlete. Peyton is in sixth grade, and Evan is in third grade. This active family especially enjoys water sports all summer long.
“Water skiing, barefoot, solemn and wakeboarding… you name it, we do it!” says Sean.
Summer fun transitions into the fall tailgating season. Although Sean wasn’t looking for a tailgating vehicle, the opportunity presented itself.
“The guy who spreads our hog manure had used the ambulance as a service vehicle, but the ambulance no longer fit his needs,” says Sean. After striking a deal for the ambulance, Sean and Amanda got to work on making it suit their needs.
The first tailgating season they painted the outside of the ambulance and cleaned up the inside. The next season they added the 1983 and 1984 Cy logos on the outside. Most recently, a hitch was added to be able to transport a griddle.
Inside the retrofitted Waldstein tailgate ambulance.
“One of my cousins lives in Ames, so we take the ambulance down to her place for the season. On Game Day, our family and my cousin’s family all pile into the ambulance and head to the tailgate,” says Sean. “The ambulance has made tailgating so much more enjoyable because it stores all of our equipment. We don’t have to hassle with unloading tables, chairs, a tent and grill once we get home.”
The whole family piles into the ambulance on Game Day!
In celebration of the fall football season, today Sean is sharing with us one of his family’s favorite tailgating recipes for Pickle Wrap Dip. We’re also linking to several other Game Day recipes, so you can celebrate the season whether you’re sitting on a tailgate in a farm field during fall harvest or outside your favorite football field.
Gathering Planting Data Sets You Up for Success All Season Long
Planting really is the most important operation in terms of seeing your best yield potential. We have tools at our fingertips that can make farming a little easier during the rest of the season.
Use planter maps on-the-go to your advantage. Some of the best maps to watch as you’re planting are the singulation/spacing or downforce maps. Tracking spacing and downforce per row is a huge asset in the cab. Although it doesn’t replace routine checks, it helps you focus on trouble rows or on certain parts of the planter. Load these maps into your iPad, so you can go back to those areas throughout the season and note the impact planter issues or upgrades have.
Maintaining uniform seed depth and spacing is crucial. Uniform emergence can impact yields by up to 8 to 10 percent! Poor spacing creates unequal competition, so little corn plants can account for another 1 to 5 percent of your yield at the end of the season. Track how your planter performs. If you don’t have a monitor, you can still gather this information. Check your seed depth throughout the field. Stop in different soil types or areas where you know there may be some compaction. This will help you monitor the impact of seed depth and spacing throughout the season. Then next year you can plan how to adjust your planter for challenging conditions.
Monitor corn/corn fields for depth but also for seed-to-soil contact. Heavy residue with corn/corn fields can cause seed to be in contact with residue and create delayed emergence. Seeds absorb water much better from soil than from plant residue, so row cleaners and tillage preparation are crucial.
Pinpoint where the issues are. Today’s technology makes it easy to drop a pin where you are, so you can revisit that spot in the field. You can drop a pin on most any planter monitor, your phone, or an app like Data Forward™ that allows you to track your fields all season long. A pin also will let you make a late-season yield estimate or determine how much yield was lost or gained by fixing the specific issue that caused this problem area in your field.
None of us likes to learn the hard way. We certainly don’t want to make the same mistake twice! Take the time this planting season, or as you spray post-emerge herbicides, to make notes that can help you make better planting or management decisions next year.
John Latham for the first #MadetoWin video of the harvest season! John will discuss the recent XtendFlex approval, preview Latham seed quality for next year and discuss products that are winning in the field throughout Latham Country!
#MadetoWin Week 2
Join us for the second #MadetoWin update with John Latham! John highlights products performing well throughout Latham Country. #LathamSeeds
#MadetoWin Week 3
Join us for week 3 of our #MadetoWin video series! John Latham covers his Power 10 hybrids based on yield results. Tune in the learn more! #LathamSeeds
#MadetoWin Week 4
Join us with John Latham! John discusses his Power 10 soybean varieties covering our entire marketing territory. Tune in to learn more! #LathamSeeds
#MadetoWin Week 5
Join John Latham for this week’s #MadetoWin video series! John will discuss our 2020 F.I.R.S.T. Trial winners. #LathamSeeds
#MadetoWin Week 6
John highlights our top 10 products based on F.I.R.S.T. trial wins. #LathamSeeds
#MadetoWin Week 7
John Latham talks soybeans! Tune in to hear a run down of the multiple F.I.R.S.T. Trial soybean wins throughout Latham Country! #MadetoWin #LathamSeeds
#MadetoWin Week 8
Join us for the final episode of our #MadetoWin series with John Latham! John discusses our new XtendFlex options and what it means for farmers across Latham country. #LathamSeeds
Ask the Agronomist: Will 2020 be an Early Harvest?
Will 2020 bring an early Harvest? Phil Long talks about 3 different examples of how corn is maturing. Learn about what is in your field and the impacts of an early harvest.
:30 — Topic introduction
1:45 — Impact of lack of moisture
2:45 — Example 1: Corn plant dying from the top
4:15 — Example 2: Corn plant firing from the bottom
Soybeans are a common host of thistle caterpillars – an insect that is able to feed on over 300 different plants. Damage from the thistle caterpillar can be minor leaf feeding or in large infestations, total defoliation. In higher infestations action may be needed, but typically thistle caterpillars don’t cause enough damage to reduce yield or warrant chemical control.
In adult form, thistle caterpillars are known as painted lady butterflies and have a wingspan of 2 to 3 inches. The wings are orange, pink or brown with four eyespots near the tips of the wings. Caterpillars have a yellow stripe that runs the length of the body. Their spiky hairs make the insect distinguishable from other look-a-like insects.
The insect is typically unable to overwinter in the Midwest. Butterflies migrate from southern portions of North America to the Midwest and lay their eggs in June. The eggs are lime green and oblong with a ribbed texture.
Thistle caterpillars can produce one to two generations per year and feed primarily during July and August. Caterpillar feeding takes place over the course of 2 to 6 weeks until the insects reach pupation. The second generation of the insect is known to feed at the topmost layer of the canopy and causes leaves to stick together from excreting silk.
Credit: Iowa State University
Scouting and Treatment
Thistle caterpillars are known to cause the most harm to soybeans during V3 and V4. When scouting for signs of caterpillar feeding, examine leaves from each level of the soybean plant. Select 100 different plants from across the field and check for feeding injuries at the top, middle and bottom third of the plant.
Treatment is advised when defoliation is exhibited in 30% of plants during vegetation or 20% in plants undergoing reproduction. Insecticide application can be used to control the insect’s population. Be sure to consult with your local Latham representative to determine the best treatment plan for managing thistle caterpillars.
Harvest results slow down as we enter the winter season. The result we are highlight today is our LH 5965 VT2 PRO RIB hybrid. This number won the Overall First Place spot in the Iowa East Central region.
