Hi Everyone,
I wish I had better news from the home front, but the prevent plant deadline is already upon us and we have barely even started. With saturated soils and rain in the forecast, it looks like we will be sitting out on the sidelines with most of our corn acres this season.
For us personally, we will live to fight another day due to how we have learned to manage risk. Because of AirScout imagery, and how it has caused us to change the way we farm, we are in a much better position than we have been in the past. As of this date, we still only have cash rent invested in this years crop. No seed, chemical, or fertilizer has been applied, and the cover crops are still growing strong. This is what we call our “AirScout Hindsight” program. There is no magic involved, but simply utilizing new technology and equipment enables us to make smarter decisions later in the year. For us, this means the difference between staying marginally profitable or going into the red. Always remember, AirScout is not intended to be just an imagery company, it is meant to be used in a program to manage risk just like in this situation.
For those of you that have been able to plant, it’s time to start scouting for emergence and pests. Although the other forms of imagery are not capable of actually seeing disease or insects yet, the thermal may be used to scout for environments that they may want to live under. Do this by walking a triangular pattern from the field entrance. From there, simply walk to the coldest area in the field and then to the warmest area of the field. Pay particular attention to areas near grassy waterways and field edges. If you find areas of concern, look to confirm the problem in other areas of the same temperature. I won’t ever claim to be a trained agronomist or entomologist, but just Indiana farm boy thinking has led me to believe that all organisms thrive in a particular temperature. Put this together with appropriate moisture and host plants, and you know where to go hunting…
Triangular scouting pattern to observe different environments within the field.
Before signing off, I want to also remind you about our Airscout Application division that includes our “AirScout Edition Hagie.” This machine is equipped with both “Y-Drops” and “Undercover” nozzles from 360 Yield Center, and enables us to apply a foliar feed inside the canopy while streaming nitrogen directly on the ground close to the stalks. If you find yourself in need of a rescue treatment, please let us know ASAP so we can get that scheduled. If you are needing a cover crop spread on prevented planting ground, we can do that as well with our multi-product cover crop seeder. If you would like more information on starting an “AirScout Application” division in your area, please let us know as well.
Thanks again for spending time with me, and I am always open to questions and new ideas. Good luck with the remainder of the season, and I will keep cheering for you from the corn sidelines. With a little mercy, I’m still hoping to be able to get some soybeans planted, so I will be able to really focus my attention their way this year.
Stay safe, and I’ll be back in touch soon!
Brian