Tuesday, July 9, 2013

2013

2013 was looking good for north Central Ohio.  Now some people have crops under water with record rains like we had in 1992.

This is a picture of good corn a week or two ago from that area.  I know from past trips up there this is some of the best in Ohio.  The field and the farmer has that kind of history.  That would not represent Ohio at all with wheat not harvested, rotting in the fields and corn and soybeans trying to grow but not far from the same rot and lack of oxygen.

Oxygenated soil is a huge undertaking and all tile does is lower the water table in a field so you might even have a better chance of creating it.  We've talked about lime and gypsum and cover crops and all sorts of ways to try to drive enough oxygen into our soils so we also can raise this kind of crop.

Rain makes grain alright but too much or not enough lowers the yield goal.  The yield goal has been lowered here and most of Ohio since planting time, whether you like to plant early like I do or like to wait until you get a week of dry weather like most farmers do.  We never got one good week of try weather to get everything done.  Tactics to plant a crop in decent conditions were very frustrating and impossible in many places.

I had to post the picture first to even get a cursor to type with.  I have a text editor error on blogger so it might be awhile until this blog returns to normal.  Be patient with us.  Like I said yesterday this is what you get when something is "free."  Even paid for websites have problems and I am no techie.  You know I like to write but not when it doesn't work right.  I am thankful though blogger hosted my thoughts the past 4 1/2 years.  Just this weeks comments from my blog have been encouraging.  Thank you.

This year is not too encouraging though crop wise and in many ways.  We just have to work through this one day at a time.  The rain makes grain thread is on page one of Crop Talk and I can't link to it with a broken page editor.

Have a good day,

Ed Winkle

1 comment:

  1. Sorry your having trouble with the blogger. Keep at it. The information you share and the thoughts you inspire are well worth the effort.

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