It looks like 2011 crop year will start and stay like a bang with corn prices over $7.00 and soybeans over $13.oo. How will that affect you, will you contract all now or wait a while? Just depends in what situation you are in, know what your costs will be for this crop year and try and lock in a profit so that you can farm again. I remember in 2008 crop prices skyrocketed but turned around and drop in about 3 months. Can you afford to have prices go down to $4.00 corn and $8.00 soybeans? I'm not saying that it will but make sure taht you stay profitable.
Chad Lee and Jim Herbek have two blogs listing things a grower should do if they are planting into sod both for corn and soybean. I will list the URL for these and you need to check these out if you are going to do anyone of these. Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, University of Kentucky, have this about planting corn and soybeans into sod:
http://graincrops.blogspot.com/2011/03/planting-soybean-into-sod-2011.html
http://graincrops.blogspot.com/2011/02/planting-corn-into-sod-2011.html
These are excellent readings for anyone.
Does anyone spray fungicide at a half rate on corn at the V4-V6 stage of development? This seemed to be the scuttlebutt at the Farm Machinery Show of things to try when you are going with your postemerge herbicide pass. This would be the only way we could do it by land as the VT-R1 stage would cause to much damage to the corn. Very interested in this for a few hybrids that might need a little extra help as the plant is forming the ears lenght and girth at this time. May help the plant stay healthy and not become stressed if you miss one rain then.
If you need some help with your any of this feel free to ask or contact your local county extension agent. Better get that planter ready!!!!
