Martin Family Farms

Nice Weather

Where did all of the moderate temperatures come from? This past 10 days have allowed us to experience some of the nicest summer temps we have seen in a long time. Crop development has slowed but is still growing good. This past week we were able to spray some beans and continue to keep watch over the corn that is pollinating. 

This past week we also had a bit of a scare with my middle son Alec and a gator accident, but all is well and nobody got hurt. Thanks to everyone for thoughts and prayers, we used everyone of them.

Aerial Application

Today we began spraying a few fields for some of the leaf diseases showing up in corn. Erin took a short video of what it looks like when the fungicide is applied. Approx cost is $27 per acre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KolumFYTgU

Looking Better

As the growing season is progressing it seems as though things are starting to look better. However that is not the case in a lot of fields. Since the  4th of July we have had almost 4" of rain and ideal growing conditions. Due to the rapid growth of the corn it is very brittle and susceptible to wind damage of which we have had some and the cool wet nights and mornings are allowing a whole host of diseases to work on the plants.  We have seen grey leaf spot in almost every field.

With the recent drop in prices and the cost of treatment at @$26.00 per acre I really am hesitant about spraying. I think we will treat our worst fields and hybrids but not all of our acres.  There are still a lot of uneven plants and wet holes but things are looking a little better.

Things are looking better...

With the rough start to the 2009 growing season some of the crops are catching up a little bit and looking better. However, with that still in mind they are still a couple of weeks behind normal progress. This past week we have had 2.5' - 3.0" of rain which is allowing for rapid plant growth.  This past week we have also been doing paper work, scouting and spraying soybeans.  It looks like more rain this weekend and into next week so lets hope it leaves the wind and hail behind.

Even a three year old can do it........

I took my middle son Alec with me last Thursday for our last day of soybean planting. He loves to go with us when we are working and loves to farm. I set him on my lap and let him do some driving and before you know it he was turning on the end and hitting the "resume" button to turn the auto steer back on. All I was doing was raising the planter and lowering it when we turned around.  He probably did about 30 acres like that before he got bored. I remember learning how to drive on the 4010 and now it is an 8520 with auto steer.  What will be next......

It's Over!!!!!

Well we finally reached the end of the 2009 planting season. We finished planting soybeans into prevent plant corn ground on Thursday.  As I am writing this on July 4th we are getting a pretty good shower which is very much welcome.  Now that we have the crops in we are going to need timely rains and warm weather so we can keep crop progress from getting any further behind.

I did notice my first planted corn was beginning to tassel on Thursday. This is the most extreme contrast between fields that we have ever seen in one growing season.

The last day

I think we are finally going to be able to finish planting soybeans today or tommorrow. I met with the insurance adjuster yesterday to verify we are taking prevent plant on corn and we will be planting beans on those acres. There are still some wet spots but we can get through them. We also hope to finish spraying corn today.