(Corn & Soybean Digest) – We finished planting corn on May 22. Other local farmers were finishing up soybean planting or their replanting of corn acres that was drowned out. Sidedressing of nitrogen in has been another popular activity in cornfields. We are getting prepared to start sidedressing our corn that was planted in April or the first week of May.
On Sunday, May 20, a thunderstorm passed through in the evening. We did not receive any rain, but left the field on account of all the lightning and the threat of rain. Other local farms received a range of 1-4 in. of rain and had water standing in the fields again.
Corn in the local area is anywhere from emergence up to V5. The corn planted last week is now taking six days to emerge. Soybeans are taking five to six days to emerge.
The local closing bids for May 23 were $6.31 for nearby corn, $4.91 for new-crop corn, $4.83 for fall 2013 corn, $13.54 for nearby soybeans and $12.25 for new-crop soybeans.
One major project on our farm was completed yesterday after almost four weeks of work. We had our 1889 horse barn repaired and covered with metal siding and roofing. The whole family is excited about the improvements that were made. In 1962 it was modified with sliding doors to allow it to store machinery instead of livestock. It has always remained with the name horse barn to differentiate it from the other barn, which is the cow barn. The last time it had cows was in 1977.
Ron Haase, Iroquois County, Ilinois
