Friday, January 16, 2026
There is a little bit of snow in the air today, off and on, but nothing is accumulating. There is a little breeze and that makes it feel even colder than the 33ºF listed on the thermometer. We had 50+ degrees on Tuesday, and each day since it has gotten colder and colder. They tell us we are heading for the single-digits by Sunday morning. Oh, well… it’s January in southern Indiana… and it can be warm or cold… or maybe even both on the same day!
Snow is coming down right now
The guys have been busy this week, doing some small repairs to the corn planter. We had it inspected last fall, and that created a short list of repairs/adjustments that are needed. Only two little parts needed to be replaced. So, both Brandons have been working on that getting it fully ready for spring. They got that done and removed the planter from the shop this morning. Now, the Tony truck is in there, getting air bags replaced on the back axles.
Hooking back up to the corn planter to get it out of the shop
The planter goes back into storage until spring…. it’s ready!
The Tony truck is in the shop now. New airbags on the back axles and a check on some wiring and lights.
I will be using the next few days to prepare for the farm corporation’s annual meeting, set for January 28. All the documentation for the shareholders is pretty much gathered by now, I just have to organize it to be distributed that evening. We will also be signing revised documents for FSA, and the annual rental agreements. It takes me a while to get all this stuff prepared. But I enjoy this kind of paperwork, so it’s not a burden, just gotta pay attention to the details!
The January WASDE crop report came out on Monday and created a free-fall in the grain markets for corn, soybeans, and wheat. After that surprising report of record corn production, the market went into shock, dropping (or should I say plummeting!) dramatically. Since then, there have been a couple days of a small price rebound, especially for corn and wheat. But the effect of that report has had a significant negative impact. Grain farmers across the country were already pretty blue about the prospects for 2026, and this was another ‘hit’. In this economic environment, we will examine our operation with even more scrutiny and make every effort to find ways to cut costs. It’s all part of the challenge. The “golden age” for agricultural producers (at least those of us in the grain business) has perhaps moved a little farther into the future. But we are hopeful that better days are coming.
I am by no means an IU fan, but I am so happy for their fans, and I hope IU wins that football championship on Monday. It is a great thing for our state to receive that kind of recognition. I understand that the tickets for the game are outrageously priced, but no doubt the fans of the cream and crimson will fill the place. I hope they come away rejoicing in victory.
This brings back sweet memories of April 2024, when I traveled to Phoenix with my sons and DIL to watch our Purdue Boilermakers in the Final Four. Purdue fans filled about 70+% of that gargantuan stadium. What a sweet memory! What a thrill to be there! That’s what I wish for the IU football fans in Miami on Monday.
What a glorious weekend we had in Phoenix.
Have a nice weekend. Stay warm!
