Everyone remembers where they were on September 11, 2001. One of my most vivid memories was the week after. I was farming with my dad at the time. He had just started cutting soybeans in a field owned by my wife’s family, situated next to Interstate 74 in western Illinois.
#Harvest23 is here! If all goes well, I should be harvesting my corn plot this week. The beginning of fall brings excitement and optimism to the farm. But this year, those feelings appear tempered. Farmer sentiment dropped 8 points last month (according to the Purdue Ag Economy Barometer) as producers
Labor Day signals the end of summer and ushers in the frolics of fall: football, pumpkin spice, UGG boots (well, maybe not in Arizona), hoodies, weenie roasts, and of course, harvest. When do farmers start harvest? For commodity crops, this is largely dependent upon the crop, the variety, geography, and
By Mojtaba Zaifnejad, Ph.D.Sr. Director of Field Research and Technical Services,Huma, Inc. In my previous article on nematodes, I described the general topic of nonparasitic and parasitic nematodes. In this segment the focus will be on a specific plant parasitic nematode – Reniform nematodes (Rotylenchulus reniformis). We will delve into the intriguing world of reniform
We all do it. We track time by referencing memorable items that we or our family once possessed. “Back when he drove that blue Silverado”, or “when she had that yellow Labrador” are examples of how we recall events that shaped our lives. For farmers, those points in time are often
The recent fertilizer market may be best described by two catch phrases: “wait-and-see” and “just in time.” In the fall of 2021, sky-rocketing energy prices pointed toward looming inflation and an inevitable rise in fertilizer prices. Many savvy growers, including those aligned with the regen ag movement, hedged their bets
Just as the seasons inevitably turn, so does the farming landscape within a tight-knit rural community. That reality hit close to home for me last Thursday with the passing of my uncle, Gary Nichols. He and my father farmed together for decades, and like most farming families, Uncle Gary was a
This summer we’ve entertained a visitor from Japan, my son’s girlfriend, Riko. So what do you suppose one of her favorite things to do in America is? Go to the grocery store. A trivial, if not mundane task for most of us is a full-on experience for her. Now keep in mind, Japan is
36 years ago, a wide-eyed intern walked into the office of Indiana Prairie Farmer magazine. It was a baptism by fire. Paul Queck, the seasoned editor, told him, “We’d like to have you take a shot at writing what we hope to be the cover story for July. Since you’re only here
Yellow airplanes were buzzing over Iowa cornfields like bumblebees over zinnias during my drive to Iowa last week. There was a time when Midwest farmers would grind their teeth at the sight of these crop dusters. It usually meant a neighbor was treating a pest problem with a costly, unplanned
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