The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois. The rain over this past weekend shore put short order to harvest in and around these parts for a spell. Reports are some folk received 1.6 inches rain whilst others had rain gauges a show'n over 3 inches.
Whatever your gauge showed, it was too much for now. Harvest becomes much more difficult when you are a fight'n mud. In the areas that received 3 inches you are sorta fight'n quick sand it seems at the same time you are try'n to negotiate semi loads of corn.
The wet ground generally forces the semis to the roads to be loaded. For the most part semis are helpless in the mud. Load'n on the road can leave mud on the roads for cars to jog around. This does not generally promote good farmer-non farmer relationships.
More rain is be'in predicted for this week. No matter how you look at it, todays harvest'n goes smoother with those big machines and dual traction tires, than in years past when we picked corn on the ear, pull'n a wagon.
No matter whether you had a mounted picker or a pull type you would get bogged down in the mud mighty quickly. I remember one feller pull'n one of those Case tractors, without a frame, into two pieces try'n to pull it out of a mud hole. Busted the engine block attachments right off. A sorrowful sight it was indeed.
Buster Jigs was a tell'n some of the boy's down at the seed house that he had a field that yielded 245 bushel per acre. That got everyones attention, right now. They all had a look of amazement on their faces and not a few looked quite skeptical.
Before they tied into Buster with a volley of doubt, Buster spoke up by say'n he could not for sure remember if'n that good yield was in November of "09" or "08". That brought a good chuckle from all who knew likely as not it couldn't be this year.
Sandy Bob wondered if'n any of the boy's had heard of the "triple stack" farmer down the road a piece? They wondered what a "triple stack" farmer was. Is he the man that plants that type of genetically modified seed?
"No", sez Sandy, "The "triple stack' farmer he was referr'in to 1.) Paid $400/bag for his seed corn 2.) Paid $400 for his cash rent 3.) Sold a large portion of his expected yield when prices reached $4.00 per bushel".
"As it turns out, that $400 per acre cash rented flat ground only yielded 100 bushels per acre, grossing $400 per acre. This only covered his cash rent and left noth'in for fertilizer, insecticide, machine expense, fuel, insurance, dry'n, storage expense and live'n expense etc".
"On top of that he sold 80 percent (160 bushels per acre) of his expected 200 bushel per acre at $4.00 per bushel. This left him 60 bushels short of cover'n his contract, which he now has to buy back at a much higher price. As he waited for the price to recede, it continues to increase".
Sandy Bob sez, "That neighbors first mistake took place when he was harvest'n the farm and recognized the possibility of a shortfall. At that time he should have dug out his $400/bag seed corn bill and attached it to a pole on his corn head. Maybe a flopp'n like that out in front of the corn about to be harvested would impress a few more bushels out of them corn stalks"!
"Additionally the receipt would be readily available when the seed salesman showed up. It might be a handy time to inquire of him if'n there was a refund come'n".
"It seems some seed corn companies take 50% of the expected yield increase they say their seed gives you, up front in the price of the seed. The 50% they left for the farmer didn't play out. In fact it less than played out, as it seems they bred their seed for drought and tolerant traits, efficiency traits, herbicide-tolerant traits, and insect-resistant traits".
"Somehow they forgot to teach their high priced seed corn ($400/bg) how to hold its breath for extended periods of time whilst the plant was under water on those flat lands".
"Nature shore has a way of catch'n a feller with his britches down when he least expects it. It seems, "This years mistakes are made on last years lessons", or so Sandy Bob sez.
"Now wait a minute" Jasper Jenx sez. "Maybe if'n that receipt trick don't work for "Mr. Short Britches' with his hat on backwards" he might try another yield increase'n attempt".
"Take a copy of those USDA yield predictions, informa predictions and pro farmer forecasts, all of which assured the corn markets of bumper yield-depress'n the prices so low this past summer. Circle the field a few times. That field will surely respond positively by those reports and be coaxed into given more bushels".
"Then send those articles to the Chicago Board of Trade to remind them of why corn was forward sold at $4/bu. Perhaps the market will respond long enough to recover some of the losses".
Cornelius Farkwad sez, "Send along with those predictions, to the Board of Trade, information remind'n them that "Rain Makes Grain"!"
"Have'n received over 30 inches of rain in 5 weeks around these parts will surely hint to them of the big crop come'n on".
"Well" sez Bill Jones, "All that might be well and good. But, if'n I was "Mr. Short Britches with his hat on backwards" and found myself as a "Triple Stack Farmer" the first quick trip I believe I would be a make'n dure'n this rainy weather would be to my banker. An attitude of humility might be in order with an expectation for mercy".
Sandy, Jasper and Cornelius all nodded in apprehensive agreement but went on to stipulate they would be a try'n all avenues available include'n coaxe'n a a few more bushels out of the field with "Madison Avenue tactics".
"Anyways, if'n you can't find a little humor in the situation you find yourself in this fall, then you are taken life way to serious"! Or so sez the boys with years of trouble under their belts.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
Barnyard Bruke