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riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)

25. Nobody's crops are doing okay, not even those who've done it the old ways without chemicals

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 03:52 PM

Jul 2012

Your OP sounds like a good story but honestly, as a small Northern Ilinois organic producer with fields in the lowest part of my farm, next to a creek that in other years has flooded its so low, even our stuff is baking and burning and drying up. We've never sprayed, never used chemicals, we use horse manure and hand labor.

This is a generational drought (or its the new normal, take your pick). Nobody's doing well. Crop yields are going to be very, very bad. The corn and soybean plants need rain at strategic moments for the kernels and soy to form properly. That's not happening. Even if the corn "looks" fine, its still not actually producing viable ears.

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I was talking to a couple of local farmers today about this drought. Old timers [View all] NNN0LHI Jul 2012 OP

Maybe they didn't have the money to do it the right way in the first place? n/t Ian David Jul 2012 #1

Then maybe they should have gone into some other profession. randome Jul 2012 #2

that would mean that anyone who has some bad luck Whisp Jul 2012 #7

sounds like a Ron Paul line of thinking to me ... zbdent Jul 2012 #51

That would mean a reduction in the food supply because of fewer farmers. Zalatix Jul 2012 #12

Reduction of food supply for feed lots, maybe... Scootaloo Jul 2012 #35

or MrDiaz Jul 2012 #77

Obivously you aren't a farmer. Farming is a problem even in good times. We need to support our southernyankeebelle Jul 2012 #28

Because the subsidy money goes to the millionaire farmers. nt Comrade_McKenzie Jul 2012 #55

The problem is crop insurance. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #3

I wonder if after so many claims, HappyMe Jul 2012 #5

Excellent idea! Zalatix Jul 2012 #13

What? HappyMe Jul 2012 #16

If the insurance companies come out to inspect and enforce compliance Zalatix Jul 2012 #18

Then they would be complaining about too much regulation by "Big Gubment" NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #34

Is the insurance a government run drmeow Jul 2012 #65

Look at my post #6 right below this one NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #66

They mentioned that too NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #6

Good info. HappyMe Jul 2012 #10

If they are like any other insurance company, they might use this to deny the claim. Ian David Jul 2012 #11

Its a Federal program. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #17

Crop insurance never pays the full value of a good crop. Sometimes 40%, LuckyLib Jul 2012 #19

I read an article the other day citing a higher figure. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #22

They said 80% coverage was about the average around here NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #29

Thats the figure I read. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #33

Crop insurance barely covers your input costs. Ikonoklast Jul 2012 #49

Other sources say as much as 80% of the market value. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #52

Average projected national yield, and projected price @80% gives you $86 over input costs Ikonoklast Jul 2012 #54

It pays the bank loan. and that's about all it does Yo_Mama Jul 2012 #76

Actually if they were really doing it right, they'd not need chemicals you suggest. Lionessa Jul 2012 #4

Nitrogen, potassium and HappyMe Jul 2012 #8

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium sadbear Jul 2012 #9

Every time I've let money make a decision for me its turned out to be a bad decision madokie Jul 2012 #14

I had never even given much thought about that before NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #15

I hope I wasn't being out of line with that comment madokie Jul 2012 #45

Had no idea. Thanks for posting this. aquart Jul 2012 #20

Seems that there's an analogy in there SnowCritter Jul 2012 #21

+1000 HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #23

So what exactly is the correct way to prep the field? vlyons Jul 2012 #24

They didn't explain the entire process to me NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #26

Nobody's crops are doing okay, not even those who've done it the old ways without chemicals riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #25

Could still be third largest harvest on record according to this story sammytko Jul 2012 #40

A huge amount of acreage was planted in corn this year so the sheer scale ensures a return riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #44

Last July temps were over 100 degrees here every single day, today it's 73! sammytko Jul 2012 #47

The southern states have often seen boom/bust crop times. Not so much in Illinois riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #48

The larger point about not doing things on the cheap SheilaT Jul 2012 #27

Who needs to listen to the Department of Agriculture when you've got Zeke. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2012 #30

Having a govt. that provides a safety net for all isn't cheap either. Pizz Jul 2012 #31

I think of the bridge that fell in MN LittleGirl Jul 2012 #32

Sorry but even if they are old timers they are delusional as to the cause. harun Jul 2012 #36

What would be causing one field to survive and the ones on either side of that one not survive? NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #37

Hundreds of factors harun Jul 2012 #58

I'm pretty sure professional farmers 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #67

Never said they forgot harun Jul 2012 #71

No farm is drought-proof 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #78

There could be another explanation. bvar22 Jul 2012 #38

I have never seen any irrigation being done around here by anyone in over 20 years NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #39

Where are you? Motown_Johnny Jul 2012 #41

About 60 miles south of Chicago and about 10 miles west of the Indiana border NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #42

Well, that shows what I know. Motown_Johnny Jul 2012 #43

I Probably Drove Right Past You... KharmaTrain Jul 2012 #53

Works for beef cows too. Drahthaardogs Jul 2012 #46

I saw an interesting seminar on beef production in Texas 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #69

Bailouts? moondust Jul 2012 #50

Crops that are supplied easy and shallow water will develope a shallower root FedUpWithIt All Jul 2012 #56

I really doubt what these farmers are saying... CoffeeCat Jul 2012 #57

Here is what a well prepped field looks like during a drought NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #59

The stalk and tassle may "look" fine but the corn isn't so great. Farm reports say 30% of the yield riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #60

I have walked out and looked at and opened a couple of ears and they looked pretty normal to me NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #61

He's very lucky then. Ours is crap, even with irrigation, the high heat has ruined the ears riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #62

Seconding your comments Yo_Mama Jul 2012 #73

Are you suggesting that this is the fault of the farmers? CoffeeCat Jul 2012 #63

I am telling you what two farmers who have been farming for decades told me NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #64

I didn't see any blame in the OP XemaSab Jul 2012 #68

Not true at all. Sorry but in some places there's nothing anyone could have done. riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #79

depends on the location Yo_Mama Jul 2012 #70

A largely unnoticed thread... Atman Jul 2012 #72

We discussed this on another forum and I tried to talk people down from raiding stores for corn and sammytko Jul 2012 #75

Corn Austerity didn't work? Atman Jul 2012 #74