Wheat harvest will begin in the southern-most tip of Illinois in just a matter of days, and double crop soybean planting will be right behind it. For many years, it was widely accepted that this crop of beans was just a bonus and that counting on any bushels from this crop was risky. We have discovered that with a few management tweaks and attention to detail, these acres can yield extremely well and will often compete with full season beans on yield. Below are some discussion points around maximizing the yield of this crop: Planting Date – The data [...]

Double-cropping wheat and soybeans is a popular strategy in parts of Illinois. Farmers who won the Illinois Wheat Association’s (IWA) 2020 yield contest recently offered their tips for success during the 2021 Double-Crop Farmers Forum sponsored by ISA, the IWA and others. David Justison from Montgomery County placed first with a yield of 126.7 bushels, Dan Rubin of Fayette County was second with 124.7 bushels and Dale Wehmeyer from St. Clair County was the third-place winner with a yield of 119.4 bushels per acre. The management practices below are some of the highlights as discussed by these three farmers [...]

It looks like 2021 will be a banner year when it comes to crop statistics. Guy Allen, senior economist with Kansas State University International Grains Program, told participants in the 2021 Double-Crop Farmers Forum that wheat, soybeans and corn will all likely set various domestic and world records for production and consumption this year. The forum was sponsored by ISA, the Illinois Wheat Association and several other partners. “I don’t know if I have seen such a plethora of issues driving the commodity markets,” Allen says. Here is a look at the macroeconomic factors he believes could impact price [...]

Double cropping is a way for farmers to get the most out of their land. Using a double crop strategy can be difficult but reaps a great reward for farmers willing to take on the challenge. Double-crop soybeans have become a part of my cropping strategy the last several years here in Southern Illinois. One of the main reasons I like to use this strategy is to encourage more crop diversity. Since I farm in southern Illinois, we don’t raise the corn crops like they do up in central and northern Illinois. Planting Preparations There are two items farmers [...]

As we approach the last week of October, most of the wheat seeding is complete in Illinois and as we count acres, wheat planting is definitely up. Looking at the historical wheat areas of Southern Illinois, I would guess acres are up 30-40% over the previous year. The combination of a moderately early harvest, dry field conditions and $6 plus wheat have all played a part in driving acres up. While the window to plant has been very wide, conditions have been good, but not ideal, in a lot of the area. The old sayin’ goes “Plant in the [...]

The wheat crop in southern Illinois has been through a lot since last fall but has seemed to persevere, and the yield outlook is optimistically high. As we go back to last fall and think about planting conditions and fall growth/development, it was really a mixed bag with some of the earliest plantings doing well. Later plantings, however, suffered through a cold, wet November. Thankfully, the mild temperatures over the winter allowed the crop to recover, and we are looking at what appears to be a pretty good crop. The recent cold temperatures have put some yield at risk, [...]

In the Jerry Reed song “East Bound and Down” from the movie "Smokey and the Bandit" part of the chorus is “we have a long way to go and a short time to get there.” Well, that could be the theme for double-crop soybeans in 2019. I guess this whole cropping year so far could be a country song. It sure has had its challenges and they are far from over. The 2019 wheat harvest wasn’t an early or late crop, coming in about the middle of the harvest time frame for most farmers. However, persistent rainfall and wet [...]

Soil Health Action Plan: Crop rotation is an important piece of David Droste’s nutrient management plan Wheat, cover crops and no-till practices help preserve nutrients and soil Data helps make smarter management decisions Sometimes called “Little Egypt,” Washington County is the number one Illinois county for producing wheat—also a crucial crop in the country of Egypt. It’s only fitting that Washington County is home to David Droste and his family, since wheat plays an important role in Droste’s sustainable cropping strategies. Double-crop or Cover Crop Droste plants one-third of his acres to wheat and will follow with double-crop soybeans [...]