Logan, Champaign County field updates

Last week’s stretch of nice weather led to plenty of fieldwork and even planting in some parts of Central Illinois.

“Here we went from 80 some degrees down to the 30s last night,” Logan County farmer Ron Kindred told The Central Illinois Farm Network on Monday.

Kindred, who covers Logan, McLean and Tazewell counties, started planting soybeans last Tuesday and got about half of his beans planted. He has yet to venture out with the corn planter though.

“I hope that wasn’t a mistake,” said Kindred. “The next two-week forecast doesn’t look real good so who knows – time will tell.”

Late planted corn isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Kindred’s corn which was planted May 15 last year yielded 30 to 40 bushels better than the April planted corn.

Matt Murray, who farms in Champaign and Ford counties, got about 35 percent of his soybeans planted and 10 percent of the corn. They stopped running Saturday morning ahead of the forecasted cold rain. Conditions out in the field were good for Murray, especially for this time of the year.

Murray also operates a Pioneer seed dealership, selling corn, soybeans and wheat with family.

“I sell with my two cousins and my one cousin has been doing it for close to 40 years,” he explained.

They sell primarily in northwestern Champaign County which is the same area they farm in. Murray has observed a number of changes in the seed industry during the past 10 years with the move toward earlier planted beans and on-site soybean seed treatment.

“It’s definitely changed the logistics,” observed Murray.