La Salle County crop and rainfall report: A little bit of rain helps crops

The summer crop and rainfall report, which features crop condition and rainfall updates from La Salle County farmers, is published regularly during the growing season.

This is the fifth report of the summer.

The following report covers June 19-25 and is provided with assistance from the La Salle County Farm Bureau.

David Hall, Serena: We finally received some rain and a couple days of cool temps over the weekend. Although not a drought-buster, I am happy to report 0.65 inches for the week. Corn is short-statured, but still growing. It might be a year where the plants are only 6 to 8 feet tall during pollination. We are wrapping up post-emergence application of herbicide on the soybeans here. Thirty-inch row spaced beans have a long way to go to grow a canopy and shade the rows completely; it may not happen at all this year. This would keep weed pressure high later in the season. We are still looking for a good drought-busting rain and overall weather pattern to change. The weather forecasters keep saying the coming El Nino should bring wetter conditions to the Midwest, but it hasn’t happened yet. Markets are erasing all of the recent gains from weather fears; they must know more than us. Have a safe week everyone!

Ken Beck, Mendota: It doesn’t know how to rain anywhere give or take a half inch. Everything looks a little better, but we could obviously use more. Everybody is pretty much finished with spring beans and corn. We are getting close to the dog days of summer weather and we are pretty much done with this crop and wrapping it up. As for the moment things look a little better because we did get some rain.

David Myer, Marseilles: We were blessed the past weekend with about 0.6 inches of rain, sure appreciated what we received but the winds kicked up later and the evaporation started again very quickly. The crops seemed to respond somewhat but I hate to say it’s a blessing with the smokey haze which limits the sunlight and heating during the day with less stress in the crops. Waiting for a sunny dry period to cut second cutting hay then the wheat should be about 7 to 10 days away if the rain doesn’t start up which I pray it does. Enjoy the Fourth of July with family and friends, kind of hoping it rains then too but wishful thinking again.

Bill Gray, Tonica/Lostant: I received 0.1 inches of rain last week. After a few weeks of no rain, some corn fields are showing signs of stress with curling of the leaves. Most of the fields of corn in my area are over waist high and about all that can be done out there is monitor for insect pests and disease issues. Several soybean fields have been sprayed for weeds and some are still needing to be sprayed. Not much insect pressure is being seen in soybean fields yet. I have noticed Japanese beetles on my fruit trees. I’ve gotten several pictures of fawns this spring and have seen antler growth starting on some of the adult bucks. I’ve also seen more ringneck pheasants this year than I’ve seen in many years. Have a good week and be safe!

Ken Bernard, Grand Ridge: Well, nothing good to report as far as rainfall. For the most part, we received another 0 for rainfall. Saturday night we maybe got the sidewalk wet. It did not fill any puddles in the driveway. The cool nights are sure helping the crops survive this lack of rainfall. The corn is rolling up in the heat of the day. Soybeans just seem to have stopped growing. Started cutting hay for the second time. The alfalfa has a pretty good growth but any grass in the hay field has not come back at all. Hay this winter could be in short supply for the livestock producers. Markets are all over the board, up big one day and down big the next day, I think it is because of the weather. But who knows? Finished spraying beans this last week, hauling grain now and mowing road sides. We are saving our lawn mowers this summer. As I have talked to many friends and neighbors, we have never seen the yards burned up to nothing like this year. With that, have a safe week and Fourth of July!

Geoffrey Janssen, Rutland: It has been another very fairly dry week in the southern part of the county. I did receive 2/10s of an inch of rain. Crops are holding their own. Corn is getting some head to it and well over shoulder high. Soybeans are looking good.

Rainfall (in inches):

David Hall 0.65

Ken Beck 0.5

David Myer 0.6

Bill Gray 0.1

Ken Bernard 0

Geoffrey Janssen 0.2