Laura

Harvesting Soybeans

USSEC Staff Writer

USSEC Staff Writer

U.S. Soybean Export Council

This week Laura shared with us that her farm will begin harvesting their soybeans and that they will be a high-quality product.

Soyfield

Q: What are you doing in the fields this week?

A: This week we will begin harvesting our soybeans. We planted in the middle of May, so the crop is mature now.

Q: What are some challenges you are experiencing?

A: Harvest has stalled because of rain, but we were glad to get the moisture considering the two-year drought we had in our part of Iowa. Our soybeans were mostly dry enough to combine, but some farmers in the area are harvesting parts of their fields and waiting for the remainder of the soybeans to mature and dry down.

Q: How does this year’s crop/harvest compare to last year?

A: This year the crop in our area will be 10-15 bushels less per acre than normal. This is due to the lack of timely rains in August. August is when the soybeans depend on rain to help them set pods and add weight. Even though our area will have fewer yields this year, other parts of the United States will have a more abundant crop.

Q: What would you like your customers to know?

A: Soybeans farmers are doing their best to ensure that they are harvesting their crops in a manner to have a high-quality product for their end users.

Sept. 17, 2013

This week Laura shared with us the challenges in her area of waiting on rain, but they are preparing for harvest and hope to have a great supply this year.

Q: What are you doing in the fields this week?

A: Right now we are looking at another two weeks before we start harvesting. The soybeans are starting to turn brown, the leaves are yellowing and we are also getting equipment ready for harvest.

Q: What are some challenges you are experiencing?

A: We are still experiencing drought in our area. It’s probably too late, even if we do get a rain, to help improve the soybean yield. We can always use some moisture for next year.

Q: What would you like your customers to know?

A: We have a good supply that will be coming in a few weeks, and the customers know we have a reliable product. Most areas are having a great yield – there are just certain pockets of the country that are experiencing a drought.

Sept. 3, 2013

This week Laura shared with us her challenge of waiting on rainfall for the soybeans in her area, but that U.S. soybean farmers are still going to be able to provide a safe and affordable crop for customers this year.

Q: What are you doing in the fields this week?

A: This week we have been checking for aphids. Some farmers in the area are spraying for aphids, but our soybeans have not been at the threshold to where we need to spray. We are still waiting for rain in our area. The soybean crop is starting to mature early because we have not had any rainfall.

Q: What are some challenges you are experiencing?

A: We could use rain at this point to give our soybeans one last boost before harvest to help them mature. At this point, we are looking to harvest towards the end of September. We could also use a late frost because some of the soybeans in the area were planted in late June. The soybeans could use more time to mature.

Q: What would you like your customers to know?

A: There are sections of the United States that are experiencing a drought, but in other areas of the country there has been plentiful rainfall so we will still be able to provide our customers with a safe, abundant crop.

August 5, 2013

This week Laura shared with us some of the weather challenges farmers in her area are still experiencing due to lack of rain but providing a high-quality crop remains top priority.

Q: What are you doing in the fields this week?

A: We’ve been spraying our corn with pesticide and we’re checking our soybeans for aphids and spider mites. We haven’t seen enough population of either to have to spray for them yet, but around us there have been parts of fields in counties near us where they have noticed a high population of aphids.

Q: What are some challenges you are experiencing?

A: Aside from looking out for the aphids that are near us, we still haven’t gotten any rain. We had a 90 percent chance yesterday, but we didn’t get any rain at all. So we are looking at the challenges of dry weather along with the challenges of insects.

Q: What would you like your customers to know?

A: That we are still looking to provide them with a high-quality crop.

July 22, 2013

This week Laura shared with us some of the weather challenges farmers in her area are experiencing related to rain, but they are optimistic about producing a quality crop.

Q: What are you doing in the fields this week?

A: This week we are praying for rain. We’ve only gotten a tenth of an inch during July on our farm, so we badly need a good rain. About a week ago we finished up the second and final spring of our soybeans. The soybeans are blossoming, but not setting pods yet

Q: What is one challenge you are faced with?

A: Waiting on the rain. It does not look like we have much more than a 20 percent chance of rain for the rest of the week. We had plenty of rain until the first of July, but then it has shut off and we have had 90 degree temperatures, so some of the crop is starting to look a little stressed.

Q: What do you want your customers to know?

A: Things are progressing. We are looking forward to being able to supply them with a high quality product. The soybeans we planted in May are much further ahead than those who planted at the end of June. So there is going to be a wide variety of days we will start harvesting around here, but in the end it should be a quality product.

June 19, 2013

This week Laura shared with us some of the weather-related challenges Iowa farmers have been experiencing and how U.S. farmers are still trying to focus on providing a quality crop for customers of soy.

Q: What are you doing in the field this week? And how are your soybeans looking compared to some of your neighbors that did not plant as early as you?

A: Right now we’re just watching the beans grow. We’ve had cool weather and now we’re thankful for sunshine. About 90 percent of all the soybeans in my area are planted now. Ours look better than most because of timing. We had our beans in the ground by the 17th of May while many of our neighboring farmers didn’t have theirs in the ground yet. We’re at the second stage of the trifoliate and a lot are just barely starting to peak through the ground. Depending on where you are in the state determines when soybeans were planted this year. How they manage their soil also determines when the beans were put in the ground. Since we practice no-till methods, we didn’t have to go in and do all the disking and the field cultivating before we planted so when the conditions were right and other farmers were field cultivating, etc., we were already planting.

Q: What has been one challenge this week? It seems that the wetness and late planting are a problem.

A: The wetness and late planting have posed problems for many. We just need some heat to help them start growing more. We have plenty of moisture, but now they just need the heat to help them out.

Q: What is one thing you want customers of U.S. soy to know?

A: They need to know that the majority of U.S. farmers are trying to do what’s right; environmentally, socially, and economically. We’re trying to produce the best product possible. But there are just some factors we can’t control, such as the weather. As soon as we get some heat, though, the crops will look better. We’re not looking for a record crop this year; but it will be a quality crop.

Laura Foell

About Laura Foell’s Farm: Laura and her husband, Bill, grow soybeans and corn on their grain farm. They have two grown children, Tom and Mary.