The weather forecast says the warmer temperatures will continue, but there are also rain chances for several days throughout the week which may continue to slow down planting progress across the state.
“I think it’s going to be ‘go-time’ as soon as the weather gives us a window here, says Mike Koehne, owner of Kingdom Farms, Inc. in Decatur County. He also serves on the board of directors with the Indiana Soybean Alliance and works with the American Soybean Association.
Koehne farms about 900 acres near Greensburg—and says only about seven percent of his soybean crop has been planted so far. But, he says he’s not too concerned yet about the late start to corn planting.
“We’ve planted June corn the last three years, and it was way over 200 bushels an acre,” according to Koehne. “It might have been just a hair wet when we harvested it. With the growing degree days in the summertime, it seems like with the new hybrids, that it catches up since our harvest times are about the same. With our tighter soils down here in Decatur County, you just don’t want to plant when it’s wet because it just unforgiving and won’t work very well.”
He says many other farmers across southeastern Indiana are farther along with their planting.
“Percentage-wise, I’d say that most guys have at least one-third of their soybeans in the ground and maybe a quarter to one-eighth of their corn planted,” says Koehne.
He adds that patience is important when it comes to planting.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” says Koehne. “Just make sure you do it right and do it right the first time. For me personally, I don’t like replanting stuff, so I drag my feet a little bit if I have to.”
“Sometimes it’s out of our hands and what the weather does, so do what you can to get that crop in properly. If we do everything we can, hopefully Mother Nature will take care of the rest,” says Koehne.
Click below to hear C.J. Miller’s radio news report for Hoosier Ag Today.
