North Central IN. Goin' like hell around here. Anybody with more than 400 or so acres is rolling. Those guys can wait and pick a few perfect days to get it in. Making dust clouds like we haven't seen in years now. Along with that, clods have a few of us dragging out the cultimulchers from the backs of the sheds to use on the drier clay and lighter soils. Ours has not seen sunshine since the mid 90's. I pulled it out and 3 of the 4 tires were cracked and flat. A nice half inch rain would be welcome. We started on a few beans first (on April Fools Day- fitting?!) then corn a few days later. Maybe 25% total planted for us starting out today. The beans should be emerging late this week or possibly this weekend. One local BTO finished his corn last week and should have the beans done mid to late this week. He started corn mid March! It'll be a home run or miserable failure. Yet to be determined. Historically here, not much gets planted before April 10th. There is mud down under the dust and clods on top, and planting 1 3/4" is finding moisture. Lots of burndown and preplant spraying has already taken place with the earlier nice weather. Fields of green are turning crispy brown. One thing I have noticed: I have to wonder if some neighbors are still farming the pieces they were last year. A new tractor, and pickup, and planter tender setup, along with the retired Dad's new pickup coming around to help move and supervise have made the operation unrecognizable! Lots of new iron around! When farmers get it, farmers spend it. New steigers seem to be contagious. They are showing up all over.
