Martin Family Farms

Happy Holidays

As we enter the new year we would like to wish all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We have endured one of the most challenging years production agriculture has ever had, and it would not have been possible without the patience, understanding, and support of all of the people around us.

This week we are trying to catch up on bookwork, and we were able to get some fall tillage done on Tuesday night as the ground thawed out just enough before the rain started. We are forecast to get 2"-4" inches of rain and below freezing temps soon so it looks like the fieldwork will be short lived. We will also be putting the finishing touches on our seed orders for next year and getting our 2010 plans in place.

Finally.......

After enduring one of the longest most frustrating years of farming ever we have finally crossed the finish line. On Friday we took the last load of corn to the elevator for the year. We really had a pretty good run the past few weeks. Since Thanksgiving we only had 2 days we did not harvest which is hard to believe this time of year. We still have a lot field work to do, but that will depend on how frozen and wet the ground is. This next week we will be trying to finish up year end bookwork and spend some time with the family for christmas.  Then the process will begin all over again for 2010.

Almost there.....

With only 11 days til christmas it looks like harvest is starting to wind down. With any luck we should finish up this coming weekend. Elevators are busy moving and piling corn on the ground to make room for the last few acres to come in. As of this past weekend there were still enough people harvesting that almost every elevator was still closing early. We rented another combine this week to try and speed things up a little just in case the weather changes, but as of right now the weather looks decent this week. Thank goodness the ground froze last week because that allowed us to get to some of our wetter fields that we have not been able to combine. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!!!!

Oh the weather outsides is...........

We are fast approaching the end of harvest as we endure almost every condition that mother nature can throw out way. In the last week we have picked in rain, snow, mud, and today we are going to give -20 below wind chills a try. Although it will be cold, we have been waiting for some freezing temps so we can get the combine through a couple of fields that have been too wet. Hopefully the elevators can make it through a few more days as most of them are still closing early and running out of space. Our local FBFM accountant told us yesterday he talked to 15 people and almost all of them had at least 200 acres or more left to harvest. That is sill a lot of corn to come in. Our local elevator manager also said there is a possibility that the gas companies could limit how much they could use for the driers as the temps get colder due to demand. Time will tell and if the weather holds up we should be done before christmas.