Saturday, January 5, 2013
Patchy clouds up there, but the sun is shining through. It’s going to be another bright day, one that requires sunglasses because of the snow still covering the ground. It is a little warmer this morning, 24F, and some days are predicted above freezing. That’ll be okay, for we would like the snow cover to be mostly gone so that an application of nitrogen fertilizer can be made to the wheat crop. So, if I were choosing the weather, the snow would leave, then the soil freeze, the nitrogen gets applied, and then another blanket of snow comes again! I’d be fine if after the nitrogen gets applied, that the snow would cover the ground through February! But in March, I’d prefer warmer and drier days, in order to get going on preplant nitrogen for the corn crop in late March. Easter is in late March this year, so we may be going to the fields around that time. March can be pleasant or it can be chilled and snowy. Who really knows what’s coming?
John and I met extensively yesterday with Greg Anthis, our CPS specialist, to go over John’s herbicide plan, and our strategy for pre-payment on that program. We also discussed pre-payment for the nitrogen for the corn crop. After a lengthy discussion, we settled on pre-payment of 100 tons of the approximate 150 tons we will need for our 1500+ acres of corn. That should guarantee availability and delivery of what we need in late March or early April. One of the factors in this decision was the stalled barge traffic on the Mississippi River, south of St. Louis! Most of our corn nitrogen is applied pre-plant, but we have the option of ‘sidedressing’ if the conditions require that. By sidedressing, the window of opportunity for application is wider. We’d prefer pre-plant, but we must maintain the flexibility to respond appropriately to the conditions in the springtime. We also discussed the options of pre-payement for the nitrogen for the wheat, but decided against that for that application should be relatively soon. It was a helpful meeting with Greg
Tomorrow, many of the family will be gathering in Vincennes for a celebration of Ella’s baptism. John and Ashley are preparing for about 60 people to come and share the event. The weather should be favorable, a little warmer.
Congratulations to Philip’s Oregon Ducks on their bowl game win over KSU in Arizona. And our Boilermakers basketball team won their first conference game over Illinois. It was a mostly happy sports week for us!
