Planting season is here, and Central Illinois farmers are gearing up for a successful spring.
According to Peoria County Farm Bureau manager Patrick Kirchhofer, about 50% of the area’s soybeans are already planted, while corn is around 30 to 35%. Some areas have even more planted, such as Princeville and Brimfield where the soil is blacker and therefore more rich.
Recent bouts of rain have delayed things a bit and the unpredictable weather could set them back more, but Kirchhofer is hopeful the area’s strong start will lead to a successful harvest.
“It’s promising right now,” Kirchhofer said. “We’re on the last day of April so farmers I’m sure have a target date to get things planted in the ground by mid-May, so we’re looking good.”
The good start has been a welcome sight, but the key to continuing the good times will be the weather they receive in the summer. Rain in the latter part of July and into August adds size to the soybeans and kernels of corn, allowing for more plump outputs.
Innovations in farming have helped increase output, too. Kirchhofer says research shows planting soybeans early earns higher yields, although it does present challenges like cold soil, dampness and disease.
Genetic changes to the seeds have also helped farmers in recent years as has the adoption of precision farming, which allows them to be more accurate with their spraying and planting.
“Farming has really come along in the last couple decades,” Kirchhofer said. “It’s greatly improved and we see that in the fall whenever harvest takes place with increased yields.”
Kirchhofer added that in order for farmers to have an ideal growing season, they need to average an inch of rain a week, temperatures in the eighties during the day and cool temperatures during the evening to allow the corn to maximize its output. But as he and everyone else knows, you can't predict the weather.
“It’s never an ideal scenario as far as farming goes,” Kirchhofer said. “There’s always the weather play, you’re not gonna get the perfect amount of rainfall, you’re not gonna get the perfect amount of sunshine and temperatures, but that’s just the way farming is.”
The planting season should last until mid-May so farmers can take advantage of the sunlight and rain that comes with the spring. Anything past that is risky, according to Kirchhofer, as the weather becomes more unpredictable.
