'Terrific' crops in NE Livingston Co.

SAUNEMIN – Crops near Craig Swartz in northeastern Livingston County look impressive.

“We’ve had timely rains,” Swartz told The Central Illinois Farm Network Monday. “We were a little dry early but things just look terrific.”

Swartz has a mix of soil types as some of his ground is on the ridge while other fields are north or south of it. It was just last year when his fields were hit with flooding rains during June and July. This year, they have no ponds.

Strip till is a common practice for Swartz and he has observed end rows even looking nice and square.

“I have no complaints.”

Historically, Swartz had not been a big sprayer of fungicide but now they spray both their corn and soybean fields. With past concerns over tar spot in corn, Swartz feels fungicide application is worth it.

“We are done with that and moving on to other summer projects,” Swartz said.

With LP priced so high, producers such as Swartz would appreciate having drier crops this fall than having to put it all through the corn drying process.

With soybeans, Swartz has observed a few bean leaf beetles make an appearance.