Kerber, Leonard pleased with conditions

GIBSON CITY – Field conditions have been decent around Central Illinois this spring and area farmers have been thankful for occasional showers but could always use more rain.

“I think anything that is in the ground or went in the ground earlier should be doing quite well,” Gibson City farmer Greg Kerber told The Central Illinois Farm Network last week.

Kerber doesn’t think there really was a bad time to plant this year whether a farmer is all done or has not started. He started soybean planting a bit earlier than usual this year since he added different products to the bean planter.

“We’ve got equal amounts of both corn and beans planted.”

John Leonard, who also farms around Gibson City in Ford County, was starting to become concerned he was going to keep missing rains.

“We want to get the work done but we also want to look at the long run and what’s good for our crops,” Leonard said.

As of last week, Leonard was about half done with corn and soybeans. They avoided planting during the April cold spells but once that passed, they hit it pretty hard out in the field.

“The soil worked extremely well this spring and we are thankful for that,” added Leonard.

Leonard has no trouble finding something to do around the farm during a rain delay such as repairs, grain hauling and other projects.

“There are always bills to pay and communications to take care of with landowners and farm managers.”