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Hoorman Soil Health Services

  Harvest has started and farmers were making considerable progress until the recent rains. Most farmers welcomed the rain since we have been in a major drought. For most corn and soybeans crops, the rain is probably too late, but it may help on late or double crop soybeans (planted after wheat) and for new wheat or cover crops being planted this fall. Of course, fruit trees, lawns, and other vegetation needed the rain. On crop harvest, it’s the first time I heard soybeans being harvested at 5-6% moisture and corn at 11% moisture! Normally, ideal moisture for soybeans is 14% and corn 15%. Harvesting at low moisture reduces yields at least 4-6%, so many farmers stopped harvesting or waited until nightfall to gain moisture. Depending upon how much rain was received, harvested moisture levels now are probably closer to normal. Looking forward to the future, once harvest is complete, farmers will start to plan for next year’s crops. A recent development is the research being done by Ba...

Every two years, Ohio State Economist Barry Ward surveys rural appraisers, agricultural leaders, professional farm managers, farmers, landowners, Farm Service Agency personnel, OSU Extension educators, and others on their knowledge of cropland values and cash rents. The latest survey was conducted from January to April 2024 with 131 participants. Barry had adequate data for only Northwestern and Southwestern Ohio, so not enough data was collected for other parts of the state. Surveys (131) were collected for three land classes: top-producing, average land, and bottom-producing cropland. Bottom producing is NOT river bottom land but the lower producing cropland. Soil type, drainage/irrigation, fertility, size and shape of fields, location, parcel size, farm borders (trees, brush, fence rows), wildlife damage, and proximity to grain markets may all affect cropland values. As a reminder, this survey was conducted in Winter 2024, and since then, crop prices have fallen, and drought concern...

For most farmers, the weather has turned dry with corn and soybeans leaves drying down. A good August rain can add bushels to soybeans and help fill out the corn. While some farmers have received adequate rain this year, the weather patterns have been fickle. Most areas are in a drought now. It seems like the same areas get rain, perhaps too much at times while other areas get missed. A good explanation for this is that good growing crops that got early rain are transpiring more water into the atmosphere, generating more moisture in those areas. Whatever the reason, it can be exasperating for those lacking rain. This year, there has been more sun activity than normal. The northern lights and magnetic fields have dipped into Southern Michigan and Northern Ohio and Indiana. While the light shows may be fun to watch, it also has an affect on our weather. The sun is still the major generator of weather. A prediction was that we could either have a drought early or late thi...

  Solving murder mysteries is a popular game but when it affects your crops, it is serious business! Soybean yields have been stagnating for years. Some farmers get great yields (70-90 bushel/acre), but many farmers average 50-65 bushel/acre. Soybean yields may be 20-30 bushel below optimum, even with good genetics. With depressed crop prices, good soybean yields are essential to making a profit and staying in business. The Allen County SWCD (Decatur, Indiana) held a field day two weeks ago. A local farmer (Nate) approached me after I gave a presentation on how a lack of plant available nutrients increases crop disease. Nate, a trained agronomist, says he noticed a “soybean mystery disease” starting in 2014. It occurs around August 1-10th almost every year but is worse some years. Symptoms: Usually, low areas or compacted areas show up first but also hill tops. It starts on lower leaves which turn pale, yellow, then brown and fall off. Usually, bean pods start aborting from the bot...