Kerber prepares for hectic season

GIBSON CITY – Greg Kerber knows a busy planting season is knocking on the door, which is why he plans to install new LED lighting on his planting tractor.

The Ford County farmer, like many others, is anticipating the lights may get more of a workout than they normally would thanks to a delayed start. Kerber recognizes farmers can’t do much about the weather – especially a widespread soaker which much of Central Illinois experienced in early May.

“We always get it done, we don’t always do it right but I’m not sure I’ve ever done it completely right anyway,” Kerber joked during a recent morning on his farm.

Kerber was able to level off some chiseled stalk ground in April which will eventually be planted with non-GMO soybeans.

“The conditions were not great but tolerable,” he said.

Last year was a good one for Kerber, although not as good as 2017. Everyone in his area got crops out of the field in a timely fashion last fall, but rain prevented post-season work.

“We finished up right before some of the rain started so I was thankful for that. We didn’t get as much tillage as we wanted done.”

Kerber would have liked to get more anhydrous ammonia on his fields last fall and was hoping to this spring, but those hopes are evaporating with the calendar getting later. He plans to side dress nitrogen during the season along with some pre-plant applications.