The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois. This week finds many anxious to harvest that first load of corn. Hearing rumors of what the neighbors are doin' only makes some farmers that much more nervous. That is of course if'n he has a propensity to be of a nervous nature in the first place.
Jasper Jenx has a friend who farms about 40 or so miles east of these parts in an area called "The Valley". It lies west of Tanners Orchard which is west of Lacon on the Illinois river.
Jasper took a field trip to visit his friend over this past weekend and discovered them gents hitt'n their fall harvest and work schedule very aggressively. Not only did he discover a great deal of corn harvested but they had chisel plowed all harvested corn ground right up to the point of almost "plowing under the combine".
It seems memories of last falls late harvest and necessary work not accomplished at that time has served as a strong motivater of hitt'n it hard and fast this fall. The spring tillage that normally would have been finished the previous fall is demonstrate'n, for the most part, much lower yields.
Those fellers that didn't get the nitrogen on that they wanted, due to this years wet season, are catch'n it on the shorts for disappoint'n yields.
Jasper's friend reported he had harvested over 1,300 acres of corn in ten fields already. Average moisture was 22.63% and average test weight was 54.412 pound per bushel. High field average was 198 bushel per acre corn on corn with 107 day maturity. Low field average was 165 bushel per acre corn on corn with 102 day maturity.
Jasper's friend, since Jasper came back from the field progress scout'n trip, reported a greater section field of corn on beans yielding 225 bushel per acre at 22.3% moisture shrunk to 15% with 56.38 test weight. Additionally another quarter section field of corn on soybeans yielding 222 bushel per acre come'n out of the field at 18.76% shrunk to 15% with 57.62 test weight.
Sandy Bob reported a friend of his harvest'n corn at 18% moisture level and yield'n depend'n on the field, from 120 to 140 bushel per acre. This on 200 bushel per acre potential ground. Not enough to fully cover expenses.
Reports are that fuller season corn is out yield'n the shorter maturity and the rolling ground is out yield'n the level ground. Sandy Bob's friend, with the low yields, has mostly flat ground.
The flat ground had areas with high yields over 200 bushel per acre but, the drowned out areas pulled the field average way down.
One feller around these parts, who usually rents a second combine to speed up harvest, was much disappointed this past week. It seems his second combine won't be ready for a couple weeks yet. It appears the early harvest has caught many folk off guard and unprepared.
One thing shore enough was demonstrated in this summers excessive rain fall. Much of our tile is buried way too deep to be fully effective in a very wet year, causing it to work too slowly in doin' it's job of field drainage. Corn roots can only hold their breath so long before they begins to suffer yield loss pains.
The fellers with pattern tiles laid tolerably shallow are show'n dramatic yield increases over the fields with tile buried much deeper.
If'n a farmer farms 1000 acres corn and his yields are off 20 bushel per acre or more he is going to see a dramatic drop in his net income over his expectations when he was farm'n this crop last winter his expectations. Add to that drop this years cost increase in NH3, plowdown fertilizer and other expenses and it is easy to figure net income decrease'n by $100,000 or more per family farmer. The larger the farmer in acreage size the greater the loss.
This is money lost to our community, no matter what you are sell'n, that the farmer might want to buy. Lower dry'n expense won't offset the loss in yield enough to decrease the pinch.
A recent caution went out that cell phone numbers go public this month. All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls. You will be charged for these calls.
To prevent this Buster Jigs sez to call the national do not call number from your cell phone. The number is 888-382-1222. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. It takes about 20 seconds to perform this important task, Buster sez.
Beginning September 15, Bill Jones sez, fines for speeding tickets will increase by $45 to $120. Those who go 20 to 29 mph over the speed limit will experience an increase to $140 and those more than 30 mph over the posted speed limit will enjoy a 55 increase to $160. Seat belt violations increase by $5 to $60.
These fines are expected to sap $22 million a year from our economy according to Representative Jim Sacia a Pecatonica Republican who sponsored the bill. $15 per ticket issued will go into a fund meant to stave off state trooper layoff.
Bill Jones sez he was about to believe that Republicans really believed in no new taxes until he learned of these fine increases. Increased fines in a way are new taxes accord'n to Bill, but and are camouflaged. Besides, Bill sez, there's something that doesn't seem right about the group of individual police officers writting the tickets gett'n a direct benefit in job security. It seems to encourage aggressive behavior in ink'n up a ticket.
Even the courts can get up to $30 for tickets taken off the top of the fine for various court fees. Bill sez it all seems quite self serving and he's vote'n "Tea Party" at the next election. Or put another way, he's vote'n for "nobody" in the next election who now holds office!
Well the rest of the boys declare they wants to dwell on the subject before they gives an opinion.
It seems this past week there was a lot of sentiment be'n expressed try'n to legitimize the Muslim faith in light of 9-11. Even the president expressed the virtue of the faith.
It seems some Muslim countries are less tolerant of others than Christian countries are of Muslims. But, Cornelius sez. that the way Christians are supposed to be forgive'n, tolerant, and turn the other cheek. He has scripture to back him up. He's side'n with the president on this one.
Cornelius sez St. Matthew quotes Jesus in Chapter 6 verse 14 and 15 "14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father for give your trespasses."
St. Mark Chapter 11 versus 25 and 26 states "25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven, may forgive your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Additionally in St. Luke 17:34 Jesus is quoted, "Take heed to yourselfs, If thy brother trespasses against thee, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he trespasses against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to him saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him". Repent seems to be the key word in St. Luke.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
Barnyard Bruke