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MO farmers learn from the 2022 drought

A mid-Missouri farmer is taking a different approach to growing corn and soybeans after the 2022 drought.

Nathan Alpers from Prairie Home, Missouri tells Brownfield the farm has invested in more pivot irrigation for farmland along the Missouri River.

“Because of the dry year last year, the soybeans made zero bushels compared to 95 bushels/acre,” he says. “We decided to bite the bullet and if we would have had it last year, the crop would have paid for a lot of a pivot, but we didn’t have it. We have it now and hopefully, we can control some of Mother Nature.”

But Alpers says this spring is completely different from last year with subsoil moisture “scary dry” in mid-Missouri. He says additional rains will be needed to have a good crop this year.

“We’ve got moisture, but if you go down 16 to 18 inches, it’s fairly dry. The ground is working good today, scary good for early April, but more subsoil moisture is needed.”

Alpers says spring planting could start as soon as Wednesday.

Photo credit: Nathan Alpers