Corn Estimates

Anyone who deals with corn is estimating corn yields today. USDA's far fetched 166 bushels soon became 150 and now around 140. Every farmer I know just wishes they could harvest that much.

Realistically this crop is really hurt, how badly we don't know. A friend called and we talked about the serious situation this year and coming years. I met another friend for lunch today and we agree the seed supply is in danger both in quality and quantity. I will be walking the seed fields for my next year's crop very soon.

Many who can stand to are pulling ears right now. I don't mean our ears the USDA was pulling, I mean actual corn ears. I saw some burned up corn in the Greenfield area yesterday. I don't know what it will make but it won't be much. I took the back roads home across the better soils around Lees Creek and found some pretty good potential. That's all it is today, potential but at least it has it. Millions of acres won't make much this year.

This is your high yielding 18 by 44 kernal ear in a heavy 32,000 population. Theoretically it could make well into the 200's but it won't. The soil is too dry and we don't get enough rain to fill it out in a good year and this one isn't one.

You can see good pollination before the 100 degree days, so planting date was critical. You can see kernals filling but if this corn doesn't get 3 inches of water in the next two weeks, we will be well under 200 bushels on this field. Final number is anyone's guess until kernal abortion is finished in a month from now.

If my best corn made 150 bushels and my worst 100, I would be near crop insurance yields. If October averages $7 and I am not sure it will, every bushel I can raise above those levels will make me money. Every bushel under those numbers is $7 guarantee lost lower yields so rain helps me and you people, the government.

The critical time has left some barren and it is very close for the rest of us!

Congratulations to Madison for winning the Grand Champion Spotted market barrow class and Division 1 of the 4-H Market Show with her Hampshire cross barrow today. She showed like a 14 year old and really kept her pig in the right place all day.

I was duly impressed!

Love,

Grandpa