View from the Cab: You Gotta Go

When you gotta go, you gotta go. I’m referring to spring fieldwork, of course.

If conditions are fit, you better be out there planting because we never know what tomorrow will bring from the weather department.

Our Central Illinois weather has been pretty crazy lately. While one guy east of Fairbury got over an inch of rain on a recent day, another just a few miles to the west hardly received anything. It seems this is how most of the spring has gone so far.

Spotty showers have been a recurring theme and it makes one wonder if this trend will continue throughout the rest of the growing season. Someone just reminded me that there were a few spring wet spells early in 2012 and we all remember what happened later that summer – Mother Nature turned off the faucet. We should be careful what we ask for. We don’t want dry weather, we just want ideal conditions. Is that too much to ask?

We did manage to get one good day of planting in last week. I have never seen soybeans go in the ground so well and so quickly. It was hard to believe the field we were working in was so dry while other growers not too far away will likely be out for a while because of saturated soils. It all depends on location and the amount of rain you have received.

I recently saw a video posted online of a farmer using a tractor and giant pump to drain the lakes in his field. This would be nice, but many don’t have the extra thousands of dollars on hand to attempt something like this. I particularly enjoyed the cartoon going around Facebook of a boat pulling a planter underwater. We all need to have a sense of humor in this industry – otherwise we may shed a few tears.

There is some hope for the rest of May as many forecasters are anticipating a warmer and drier pattern eventually setting in. Once the weather does break, look out. Farmers will all be out in the fields working once again from sun up to sun down to get the crops in. Be on the lookout for large machinery out on the country roads. Watch for all of the Slow Moving Vehicle emblems and flashing amber lights on equipment.

The View from the Cab blog is powered each week by Petersen Motors of Fairbury.