Illinois farmers help injured friend

Oct 26, 2018

A combine fire left Ron Wickenhauser with burns on his body

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A Central Illinois farming community came together to help an injured friend finish harvest.

Ron Wickenhauser, a grain producer from near Wapella, Ill., had to be rushed to hospital after a fire broke out in his combine while harvesting soybeans Saturday.

It was windy, so the fire spread quickly.

“By the time he could get out, (the combine) was pretty much engulfed,” Ron’s son Robert told The Bloomington Pantagraph on Tuesday.

The fire destroyed the combine and about 20 acres of crops.

Ron’s grandson Austin helped his grandfather into a truck and drove him to Warner Hospital and Health Services in Clinton, Ill.

Doctors diagnosed Ron with first- and second-degree burns on about 15 percent of his body, The Pantagraph reported.

Wickenhauser left the hospital Sunday with about 150 acres of crops still to be harvested, or so he thought.

Upon arriving home, Wickenhauser saw a group of nearly 20 local farmers had brought their combines to help ensure his crops were harvested on time.

“When people come out to help you like that, you are just humbled,” Robert told The Pantagraph. “Nowadays, you don’t realize how good you have it. You think people don’t care, but they show you that the farming community around here sticks together.”

This community support isn’t surprising, said Ron’s wife Kathie.

“They just all showed up, took over and got it all done in one day,” she told The Pantagraph. “They are great people. Small communities are great. People don’t understand how wonderful they are. That wouldn’t have happened in a big city.”

Ron Wickenhauser's combine/Pantagraph photo

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.