More of the same up here for us. I know of two guys that did a little planting one day last week before another half to 1 inch of rain. Now there is talk of switching to earlier corn. My advice is to stay with your original maturities until June 1. An early corn planted late will take more of a yield hit than the extra moisture will cost you for the fuller-season hybrid. We had this same thing back in 1996, and the acres that were planted around June 1 to 100-day corn were at least 20 bu…

Just like everyone else, a wet, cool week here. Another 2.2 inches. I sent my drone up after 1.8 inches and the amount of standing water was the same as the previous week after 6 inches. But the forecast does look good this week and we will finally get some warm temps.

Not a wheel turned in our area last week. Rain between 5.5 and 7 inches for the week. Still water in the low spots. The sweetcorn I planted on April 2 is up, but it took a full month. More rain in the forecast this afternoon through Thursday. Long range forecasts look promising after that.

Greetings from a soggy Will County. A few of us got started last Wednesday and Thursday (April 25). I was able to get my test plot in and another 55 acres of corn. Saturday we had just shy of seven-tenths of an inch of rain, and as of Monday morning at 7 a.m., another six-tenths. Time will tell if that was a 55-acre mistake or my best corn. With the forecast, it’s looking like a late planting season for us. Hopefully this delay will put a spark in the markets.

Greetings, farmers. No field work up this way, but with the weather over the weekend I am sure some will start today or tomorrow. Don’t be that guy who has to be first and mess it up for the whole year. Just a 50% chance of rain tonight and little to none in the forecast for the week. I am thinking by Wednesday things will be getting going around here. Yesterday afternoon I went for a Gator ride through the home farm and about 70% of it was good to go.

Bright-blue beautiful sunshine here today. It reflects nice and bright off the snow. We had around 3 inches yesterday (April 14). My dad always said winter was not over until April 15 (his birthday). In 1961 they had a big snowstorm. I did plant a couple rows of sweet corn last week, and a neighbor did put in 40 acres of corn on a dry well-drained field. Forecast tells us not much will happen this week. Have a blessed Easter.

Not a lot to report so far: I am getting ready for planting as I am sure you all are. I’ve been busy delivering seed between raindrops. The rest of the time going through the planter to make sure it is 100% before going to the field. I have some fall-seeded cover crops, and they are greening up fast. We have been lucky not to have any big rains so far this spring; no water standing anywhere. Weather forecast is for a little warm-up over the weekend. A little warm up in the markets would …

Kestel isn’t a typical farmer. He just returned from mountain climbing in Mexico and enters stair climbing competitions in Chicago. He worked as a flight attendant for 27 years, retiring from Delta Airlines at age 49. He stayed connected to farming during his career, helping during spring and fall. After retirement, he bought more land in Will County where he grows corn and soybeans. With his daughter, Frankie, he welcomes politicians and urban visitors to the farm to teach them about ag…