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Cab Conversations: Get Growing No. 8

In this week’s episode, Meghan Grebner, Indiana Farm Director, talks to three farmers from Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska about the recent rains across the corn belt and how they handle planting with challenging conditions.

Zach Hunnicutt, Aurora, Nebraska
Theresia Gillie, Hallock, Minnesota
Carla Wardin, St. Johns, Michigan

Show Notes:
The conversation, making the best of your planting season–no matter what the weather is

Meghan Grebner: She begins by asking everyone for a crop update, starting with Zach in Nebraska.
Zach Hunnicutt: He says it has been wet, wet, wet. Starting with his planting, he said, he couldn’t get any more than two or three days straight to get crops in. Now, he says it is still wet and he is just working around rain and mud.
Meghan Grebner: Asks Theresia how things are looking in her area.
Theresia Gillie:  Says she had her series of rain, about six to eight inches. It actually started drying up by having less rains in smaller quantities in her area. Her and her husband just finished up spraying.
Meghan Grebner: Asks Carla how the rain has affected agriculture in her area.
Carla Wardin: She says she received two inches, while other surrounding areas received double that quantity. Normally they are always waiting for rain, but this amount of rain did a lot of good for her farm and people in her area.
Meghan Grebner: Asks the group what the biggest challenge is when it comes to getting work done in all types of weather.
Carla Wardin: She says they try to do work any chance they get, whether it is a weekend or even a holiday. She  has to make the best use of that time.
Meghan Grebner: Asks Zach how field work is going in Nebraska and if they are able to get anything done.
Zach Hunnicut: He says it has dried out enough to get out and get things done in the fields, but he also has to keep in mind that things that he does now might hurt his soil in the long run due to the large amounts of rain.
Meghan Grebner: She asks Theresia about Minnesota and how it is looking there.
Theresia Gillie: Says she hasn’t had too many complaints from other farmers, they may have been delayed from the weather, but it certainly didn’t stop a lot of them.
Meghan Grebner: Opens the group to ask each other questions.
Carla Wardin: Asks Zach about his average rainfall in Nebraska.
Zach Hunnicutt: Says he has gotten 14 inches in a month, which is about half of Nebraska’s average annual rainfall.
Meghan Grebner: She asks Zach if he is concerned how hot and dry weather might impact his crops after all the rain his area has received.
Zach Hunnicutt: Says he could use some heat and they are finally getting into the 80s with some sun. He joked that no one’s feelings would be hurt if hot and dry weather would come for a while. He predicts his area will be wet until fall.
Theresia Gillie: She asks Carla if she has gotten the heat she has needed or if her area is lower than average.
Carla Wardin: Says they have weather into the 80s and will get up into the 90s soon, which she is looking forward to.