Comments from Doug Fisher, Agronomy Manager
September 8, 2011
This past year will not end soon enough for most of us. I cannot remember such a hot and dry period as we have been enduring for the past 12 months. But, as the saying goes a drought is always ended with a rain.
As agricultural producers we must have faith that the good Lord will provide us with conditions to put another crop in the ground. If we did not believe this, than we should probably find a different profession. With that said, we need to be thinking about our immediate plans for this coming crop, whether it be canola, wheat or a graze out program for cattle. No one has a crystal ball that will tell us when it will rain.
Even thought it is dry, this coming crop will need our attention as far as fertilizer and other input to grow a crop. Most of the fields in our area have been cultivated and will not need much more seed bed preparation.
One thing I think that we will need to pay more attention to this year will be protecting that seedling wheat as it comes out of the ground. Anytime we have conditions like we have experienced the last several months with a lot of dry vegetation, will be the insect populations that will be present as our crop comes up. Certainly greenbugs, grasshoppers, cutworms and other insects have thrived in these conditions.
There are seed treatments out there such as Gaucho and other products that will give that seedling a chance to survive. With conditions the way they are, we will need all the help we can get.
If we can be of any help, please contact any of our
locations to discuss your needs.
Thank you,
Doug Fisher
Plains Partners
Agronomy Manager
Cell 405-368-5237
E-mail doug.fisher@chsinc.com
Comments from Micah Honick, Crop Production Specialist
August 22, 2011
Summer has been hot! Dry! And Windy! Welcome to Oklahoma! But, despite the hot and dry summer, recent rains and showers have continued to spark the interest of many growers to plant winter canola as a rotational crop for the 2011-2012 harvest season. I am currently booking seed and continually pulling samples with the help of each location.