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SE Iowa | what were crop yields in 55-56? It is still all about when it rained not yearly totals if a fair amount was in the summer/fall. Creeks and ponds are very very low all around. Thought we were facing disaster in May/June time period but rain came just in the nick of time and we had our 2nd best corn crop ever (2014). Beans were good but a bit disappointing after such a good corn crop. Beans looked fantastic but were less then expected. After looking back at crop failures in my farming career, it was the unrelenting heat/wind that got the corn. Did not cool off at night and sw wind with the heat turned corn gray every day. Or like Clay said several times, it was wet years with poor stands, replants, stunted plants that hurt more then dry. Roots get down in dry, they don't develop in wet soil. And hybrids have gotten a lot better on drought resistance. I think 1980's hybrids would have tanked this year. Last fall I planted some winter wheat on VT'd corn stalks and because of no moisture it came up in 3 different periods as a lot laid dry til Nov. This spring it was 3 different heights until heading and looked terrible. It made 100bu/acre cause wheat likes it dry and we got enough rain to take down the N I applied in April. Followed that with 36bu beans planted July 4th. Only second time I've double cropped wheat/beans. God blessed me more then I deserve thruout my farming career. | |
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Still in need of rain
