I received my first grain quality premium. The trucker called quite excited and said your crop was tested at 12.8% moisture, 58 pound test weight where 56 is standard on corn and 60 lb on beans, which hardly anyone gets. The damage was .2% and foreign material was .4%. In short, that is very high quality grain, especially this year.
The trucker said they pulled him off into a special line with no one else in line, he had never seen that before. I bet the buyer is going to blend my load into some lesser quality grain. Les said they had 3 rail cars full of black corn yesterday where he was unloading and he thought they would blend the good with the bad. My friend Eddie from Missouri said I bet they paid the farmer $1.50 for the damaged corn and the local markets are around $3.40 for corn, over $10 for soybeans.
I planted non genetically modified seed again this year, or you might call it old fashioned seed compared to the GMO seed that has taken over the marketplace in the US.
I know my seed quality helped but I think my fertility program and modfied planters for early notill made the difference this year. T-22 helped all crops root properly and my America's Best Inoculant made 3-4 bushels more than untreated strips again this year.
I still fight weed control so I am going to plant some Liberty Link soybeans next year and try to tune my herbicide program.
I called Keynes Brothers Milling this morning and we talked about my 400 acres of wheat. When I told them the variety and conditions, they were even more interested. We agreed there isn't much soft red winter wheat this year in Ohio, farmers were lucky to get the soybeans out. They bid $5.31 today, 35 cents under Chicago but they almost hit my goal of $6 two weeks ago. I guess I wasn't ready then.
So I may have another new vendor. I like my previous vendors as I have a relationship with them. With new ones you have to learn where each other stands. That learning curve can be steep.
I have to admit it felt really good to sell a premium crop. That's a nice compliment to the work I have put into it.
The thing now will be to get enough income to at least break even on taxes this year and not carry much into 2010. That is a constant battle for farmers.
That's about it for today,
Ed Winkle
Congrats on grain premium ! One of your best observations however, is that Suh (that lineman from NE) is a great player! OK, the buckeyes have their share of talent also. The last few years under the old regime (Billy C.), were so painful ! Nothing like college football! Keep blogging-we are here Ed, reading, learning, and laughing (with you)!
ReplyDeleteThanks, that was the best pat on the back all year, just made my day. NFL will eat Mr. Suh up and more Buckeyes. I know its just a game but... 68 Buckeyes really got me into college football. The 75-76 Reds were the best baseball team I ever watched, now don't follow baseball at all, just college football. Can't believe Brian Kelly sold out to ND before the US BCS game... What a loser...
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