This week, the National Corn Growers Association continued its seventh season of Field Notes, a series that takes readers behind the farm gate to follow the year in the life of American farm families. While these growers come from diverse geographic areas and run unique operations, they share a common love for U.S. agriculture and the basic values that underpin life in farming communities.
Field Notes caught up with Jim Raben, who farms in southern Illinois. Despite periods of slow progress due to wet conditions, he sees the end of this harvest season moving closer on the horizon.
“Harvest here has gone fairly well. We have had our wet times, but they have never lasted longer than about three or four days,” he explained. “Most of the corn in our county is out of the field, and soybean harvest is nearly coming to an end.”
Dan Erickson, who farms in Minnesota, also took a moment from harvest to discuss his progress thus far. Given his northern location, the nearing of winter weather has begun to cause concern.
“Progress has been terribly slow. On our own farm, we are only about 25 percent done with corn harvest. It has been a long, drawn-out process with rains every few days. So, here we are in November and still moving slowly through harvest.”
Working to finish harvest before the snows begin, Erickson shared why farmers aim to have all their crops in the bins before the first flakes fall. To find out more, click here.
Stay tuned over the coming weeks as Field Notes follows the growers who have opened their farms, families and communities this year to meet the true faces of modern American agriculture.