Wheat December 2012

The wheat crop has the poorest ratings of condition since the ratings began back in the 80's.  Many of us producers have been looking at some wheat roots. One friend in Missouri write the roots are "Very small, not as much root growth as other years. Less that half the root system as other years."

Wheat also made the news this week for gene mapping.  This news identifies nearly 96,000 chromosomes and what they are linked to, compared to 47,000 chromosomes for apples.

There is concern for the crop among growers.  In this thread, a fellow talked about planting wheat in January and it still making a crop.  I had never heard of anything like it.  Wheat is a tough crop and those 96,000 chromosomes are linked to a lot of durability over the ages!

Some of my friends have bought wheat calls thinking the market has no where to go but up.  My best guess is that a $10.40 July wheat call bought for around 30 cents today has a 70% or better chance of making money.  This is pure speculation on my part and I know enough to be dangerous.  There has been some discussion on Market Talk the past few months.

I have raised more wheat in the last nine years than I ever dreamed I would.  The total is well over 1000 acres because I planted 700 in the fall of 2009.  There is over 100 acres planted here on top of the hill this fall.  I can't say I ever made that much money with wheat but add it to the double crop soybeans or cover crops planted in July and I think it's been a good investment.

My highest gross income per acre has been corn and soybeans have not been far behind.  They both yield better for me when wheat has been in my rotation before the corn or soybeans.  When the wheat is combined and you follow that combine with a notill drill full of soybeans, the outcome has always been profitable for me.

It takes more steps to get there but it keeps something growing on that soil all year long.  I think there is more to be said for that than anyone one of us can explain or imagine.

I do have a question on my wheat right now though, my radishes are getting big and so are the winter annuals.  We have a dry, open winter.  I am not sure we will get 3 nights in the teens to kill the radishes.

Should I kill the winter annuals and the radishes soon with a spray of Harmony Extra?  The picture was taken October 12 so you can imagine how tall they are now.

Ed