September 2007 amazonaws com
NEWSTALK
“OUR MISSION IS TO BE A PROFITABLE, QUALITY SUPPLIER OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS & SERVICES”
SEPTEMBER 2007
FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY GARDEN PLAIN, KS
Volume 10, Issue
visit our web site at www.gardenplaincoop.com
From the General Manager’s Office by Terry Kohler Time is fast approaching to plant the 2008 wheat crop. This season forces us to look ahead, to forget the past. We always need to learn from the past but don’t let us dwell on the past. With that in mind try to make your own list of the lessons that we did learn from the 2007 harvest. Some of the list could go as follows; (1) Have a good marketing plan, revise it as time passes, but above all have a plan. Don’t be frightened to forward contract grain at a good price with a plan. (2) Have a good fertility program; the plan must have the right nutrients at the right time. (3) Have a fungicide and disease prevention plan, pre-plant and post emerge. (4) Purchase cost effective crop insurance coverage to cover your costs. (5) None of us have any control over the weather, or should. The Farmers Cooperative Elevator has sold their ownership interest in the Fuel Outlet Propane business to the majority owner Dan Claassen. We are appreciative of your past support of our propane business. In turn, Propane Central has purchased the propane business of Fuel Outlet Propane. The Board of Directors has voted to proceed with the Grain Alliance. At this time all 10 local cooperatives involved in the discussions have voted at their re-
spective board meetings to proceed to the next step. This grain alliance should gain efficiencies in freight, storage, and marketing clout in the grain industry. As local cooperatives we are in daily competition with international grain companies on our grain bids to you, the producer. If this alliance is formed we will still be very small fish in the pond but we will be working together to protect our interests and yours in the grain industry.
From the Board Of Directors by Rick Casley Greeting from the Board of Directors of the Farmers Coop Elevator. This has been a strange year from the start. Everything looked wonderful on the beginning and then we have the April freeze and also rain that wouldn’t quit. Now it’s so dry we want rain and can’t get it. I love farming, bit it can be a challenge to say the least. The Farmers Coop is tied directly to our farming enterprises. And we as farmers need to realize that as we struggle with good and bad crops and decisions on our part. Through it all the Coop is there to help us in the hard times and the good times. Without this company of which you are a member, farming would have a very different outlook. The Farmers Coop is not any different than most other businesses. We have challenges that have to be addressed and many decisions that have to be made. Speaking on behalf of the board of directors, there are many new and wonderful opportunities that lay ahead of us. We work very hard at seeking out ways to
improve the company and keep it one of the strongest. We thank you for your patronage and have a wonderful fall season.
News from the Fuel Department by Susie Graber Gasoline prices are losing some of the summer premium they have been carrying. Markets are slowly trying to turn around. It will be hard to get the diesel prices to come down any significant amount with heating oil season right around the corner. So far the Gulf has dodged the hurricanes in the area, and that has been a huge factor in the price drops. We have already had a few inquiries about winter diesel. We will start delivering winter diesel around the middle of October. A reminder to our contract diesel patrons – you have until the end of September to use your gallons. Have a safe fall season, and as always, we appreciate your business.
News from Belmont by Steve Goebel Here at the Belmont location we have started applying fertilizer on wheat ground. At the present time we are current on what we have orders for, but if we get some much needed moisture we will have lots of ground to cover. Please get your orders in so that we can get them done in a timely fashion. (continued on page 2)
From the Feedstore by Joe Krehbiel
(continued from page 1)
We are awaiting delivery of a new tank for liquid fertilizer. One of our old tanks was in very poor condition and had to be replaced. Hopefully we will receive the tank in time to be used for storage of 10-34-0. I don't think it will create a shortage but it would be helpful if the patrons would inform us of their plans to use 10-34-0 and the approximate amounts they will need. Thanks again for your business.
News from Norwich by Nancy Proctor Well, one of my favorite sayings and one that I have put in the newsletter before is “Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.” With this in mind, I have asked to be reassigned to a non-managerial position with the Farmers Coop. At this time I am not sure where this will lead me but I am planning to stay with the Farmers Coop as long as they will have me. As I am writing this, it is almost 10 years to the day that I started working for the Farmers Coop. I am extremely grateful for the many opportunities that I have had to learn and grow as part of this company and I hope to be able to continue to do so in some capacity. NH3 season is in full swing! We are trying to keep our 10 tanks full and ready to go. Please bring the empty tanks back promptly so we can get them refilled and ready to go out again. It also helps us tremendously if you return the tank to the location that you got it from. Also we are still cleaning wheat so give us a call and get on the list. Take care and we are all hoping for some rain and a good fall harvest season.
Congratulations to Larry Werner for being named “Employee of the Quarter!” Larry has been with the Farmers Coop for 34 years. He is the first face you see as you walk in the Garden Plain office. Larry has too many functions for the Coop to mention all of them. He keeps an eye on the markets and helps patrons with grain marketing options. You can catch Larry’s daily market close comments by calling 316535-2681. Larry is also very helpful with proof reading the newsletter. Larry and his wife, Vera, live in Garden Plain and Vera is a teacher at Garden Plain Elementary. They have 3 children, Jason, Janine, and JoAnna. Jason is in the Kansas City area, Janine and the 2 grandchildren, McKayla and Damien are in Wichita. JoAnna is a Junior at Garden Plain High School. When Larry is not working he likes to go antiquing and you will often times find him jogging. He has a special affection for old tractors so the next time you see him, ask him about the one with the cracked block. Also take a minute and let Larry know that you appreciate him as much as we do.
Boy, how things have changed from too wet to too dry! Pasture grass has really taken a hit. Looks like we better start to supplement the livestock. Check with us for everything from creep feed, to lick tubs, and also liquid supplements. Give us a call and we’ll figure your cost. Check out our summer close-out prices on the Buckner Corn Grills. For the winter we also have a few carry over Corn-Glo Stoves on hand. If you’re interested, now is the time to buy, the new inventory will be higher. We are trying to become more efficient in all areas at your local Coop. One way you can help us here at the Feedstore is by giving us more lead time on your feed needs. If at all possible, please give us a day’s notice for your rations. This way we can plan our day more efficiently. Same-day call ins put everyone in a bind. Thanks for your cooperation. Overheard coffee drinkers wit and wisdom: Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced “onety one”? Why do “slow down” and “slow up” mean the same thing? How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?
News from our Gard’n-Wise Representative - Troy Simmons Cooler weather is just around the corner and hopefully the 100 degree temperatures are a thing of the past. September is the best time to fertilize your cool season turf grass (fescue and bluegrass). If you can only fertilize one time of year, now is the best time. Fescue will naturally thicken up in the fall if adequate moisture and nutrients are available. Fertilizing in the fall not only will help to thicken up your turf, it will also hasten the recovery from the summer’s stresses and provide a quicker green up in the spring. Fertilome’s Southwest Greenmaker or Winterizer are excellent fertilizers for fall. September is also the best time to seed or over seed your lawn. Not all grass seed is the same. Always read the seed tag and buy only certified grass seed. I recently saw a 50 lb. bag of grass seed advertised at one of the big chain stores for a very cheap price, so I had to go check it out. The seed tag had noxious weeds, weed seed, and crop seed listed on it. Not to mention one third of the grass in it was annual rye grass. So next year the people that planted that grass will have a third less grass in their yard since annual rye grass only grows for one season. Cheap seed will always cost you more money in the end! The Gard’n-Wise Premium Fescue Blend contains the best varieties and the cleanest seed available. We pick the varieties based on turf trials performed throughout the country and special emphasis is placed on KSU’s turf trials.
2
News Newsfrom from Clonmel Cheney & Anness by Steve Goebel The hot dry weather of byextremely Jim Schmitz
August our filling area really did tanks some We areinbusy anhydrous damage to our lawns. the rain we and just finished with With our corn harvest cooler inhave thisreceived area. It and looksthelike it is temperagoing to tures now is theand time repair the if damdepend on rain thetofirst freeze we age.going The feed stores rentmilo power are to get much in rakes, here. aerators thesein maVery littleand milo verti-cutters, was planted early this chines do an excellent job of area because of all the rain. preparing your for reseeding Fall apThelawn Dunn’s fish truckand wasa here on plication of fertilizer. The feed the September 5th and the driverstores was all carry a full of sales grass have seedsbeen and saying how slowline their fertilizers to get yourI guess yard back in the last month or so. whether shape. you re-seed your you are Ifwheat farmersinorthe fishFall, farmers lawn will look great the spring. you can still have badinyears. Anness: As always keep us informed of your fertilizer needs so we can have someone over there to fill tanks or load fertilizer.
News from Cheney by Dan Ramsdale August is gone with its heat and dry weather. September is here with cooler and hopefully wetter weather. Here at Cheney, we’re pretty busy with cleaning some seed wheat and also with loading NH3 tanks. Fall harvest is near and we will be taking milo, corn and soybeans here. Please remember that a full load of high moisture grain creates problems for us and may be rejected. A test is a small sample. Please check with us for your seed cleaning and treating, dry or liquid fertilizer to help with your fall planting needs. And as always, thank you for doing business at your local Coop.
News from our Crop Production Dept. by Jay Smith Here it is close to the middle of September and we are just now starting to see some volunteer wheat coming up. More than likely this will mean we might be drilling wheat a little later than we would normally like to. I think this is a good thing for a couple of reasons. With some of the wheat we are going to be drilling this fall, the test weight on it isn’t what we normally drill. While I have no doubt it will sprout and come up, I have concerns that it will not handle the hot temperatures that we some-
News from the Grain Department by Larry Werner Higher wheat prices are fine and it has been exciting to watch the market here lately as it has been extremely volatile. The main problem this year, compared to past years, is that most of our patrons have little or no wheat to sell. We do have fall crops with some yield potential but right now this is being hampered by the dry weather. But it does appear that we will have a milo harvest and if we should get some rain soon we could improve on our yield potential. With this in mind I decided to run the milo price chart that I ran last year to give a better perspective as to when the higher and lower prices occurred at different times of the year and how this may might compare to the high prices that we saw back in 1996. Looking at the chart I have the year, what the price was on January 1st, then the price on September 15th, which would be around the beginning of milo harvest, and then the price at the end of the year. Then I listed the high and low for that year and when they occurred. 1990---$3.50---$3.70---$3.50---low $3.40---Oct---high $4.45-- June 1991---$3.55---$4.20---$4.10---low $3.55---Jan ---high $4.20---Oct 1992---$4.10---$3.80---$3.30---low $3.05---Oct---high $4.40---Mar 1993---$3.25---$3.40---$4.65---low $3.10---Jun---high $4.65---Dec 1994---$4.65---$3.35---$3.45---low $3.20---Oct---high $4.70---Jan 1995---$3.35---$4.85---$6.05---low $3.35---Jan---high $6.05---Dec 1996---$6.10---$5.05---$3.70---low $3.60---Nov--high $8.15--May 1997---$3.55---$3.65---$3.70---low $3.45---Oct---high $4.55---Apr 1998---$3.65---$2.60---$2.85---low $2.45---Sept---high $4.05---Mar 1999---$2.90---$2.55---$2.55---low $2.35---July---high $3.20---Mar 2000---$2.55---$2.30---$2.30---low $2.25---Aug---high $3.40---Dec 2001---$3.35---$3.30---$3.07---low $2.73---June--high $3.43---Aug 2002---$3.07---$4.39---$4.11---low $2.85---Apr---high $4.70---Sep 2003---$4.13---$3.36---$3.89---low $3.07---July---high $4.20---Jan 2004---$4.02---$3.07---$2.76---low $2.70---Nov--high $5.14---Apr 2005---$2.75---$2.80---$3.07---low $2.64---Oct---high $3.66---July 2006---$3.15---$3.86---$6.56---low $2.88---Jun---high $6.56---Dec 2007---$6.55---?????---?????---low ?????--- ???---high ?????---??? It’s interesting to note that in 1995 we were looking at a high of $6.05 for milo only to follow the next year with an all time high of $8.15 on May 17th. Looking at year of 2006 we saw a high of $6.56 and it makes one wonder what the high will be in the spring of 2008. For those of you who still have wheat the high got to $7.30 on April 25th 1996. This occurred during the market but it closed at $7.10. With the volatility in the market we have seen some days when the market was up the limit and I have had some patrons ask again what the limits are on grain. The daily limits on grain futures are as follows: wheat – 30 cents, corn – 20 cents, soybeans – 50 cents, and oats – 20 cents. Now if on a market day three consecutive future months close up the limit then the next day the limit will be expanded 1 ½ times the limit base. After the third market day the limit reverts back to the original limit base. Now keep in mind that wheat for instance could be up the limit by 30 cents but we could get a change in the basis of 10, 15 or even 30 cents as well. times have the end of September. We are a little dry now and heat stress on top of a plant that doesn’t have good seedling vigor to start with, is like growing wheat all year without any fertilizer. Waiting to drill your wheat until October would give your lower test weight seed wheat some relief from the hot/warm temperatures and give a little boost to the seedling vigor. If you stop and think about it we grow winter wheat in this area not spring wheat, a
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cool season grass not a warm season grass. So, no, we might not get as much grazing as we usually would out of the wheat this year, we’ll just have to take the good with the bad. Outside of grazing, we don’t need an abundance of foliage going into the winter months. The only thing an abundance of foliage is good for is for leaf rust in the fall, aphids and mites. None of these help our yield potential. All we (continued on page 4)
ence when you get paid on production. As always, if you have any questions or need help with anything, call me at 316-772-1423.
FOR SALE Round Bales of Bermuda, 4 x 5, $35 Small square prairie hay & mixed grass, $4 Also an old school yard type Teeter totter $25 call 316-640-4355 Alfalfa, Prairie Hay & Oats Round Bales, 5 x 4, net wrapped call 620-545-7269 46’ John Deere A, 76’ Ford F-150, auto. 2 - 36” Heckedorn Mowers call 620-545-7445 JD - DSC 20-hole, Grain Drill, $1050 8’ 3 pt. Disc, $325 5’ Bushhog 3pt. Mower, $350 call 620-532-2768 2– 8350 JD Double Disc w/ Double-time Hitch 316-794-8527 JD 940 32’ Cultivator, 3-bar Coil-tine Harrow, $1900 JD 8300 20 hole Grain Drill, JD 8350 20 hole Grain Drill you chose the drill, $1800/ea. 620-243-3253 or 620-532-2768
FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY DIRECTORY ANNESS – BELMONT – CHENEY – TOLL FREE – TBA – CLONMEL – GARDEN PLAIN – TOLL FREE – FEED STORE – GRAIN MARKETKINGMAN – TOLL FREE – MURDOCK – NORWICH – RAGO –
620-478-2458 620-297-3911 316-542-3181 800-525-7490 316-542-3381 620-545-7138 316-535-2221 800-200-2122 316-535-2291 316-531-2681 620-532-2662 800-987-2662 620-243-3827 620-478-2272 620-243-3828
VISIT OUR WEB SITE @ www.gardenplaincoop.com
OFFICERS & DIRECTORS STEVE DAVIS GREG RENO DENNIS DAVIS RICK CASLEY JON KERSCHEN MARTIN KERSCHEN GREGG SCHEER
LOCATIONS AT: ANNESS BELMONT CHENEY CLONMEL GARDEN PLAIN KINGMAN MURDOCK NORWICH RAGO
“WE’RE HERE TO SERVE YOU!”
401 MAIN, P.O. BOX 316, GARDEN PLAIN, KS 67050
FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR CO.
(continued from page 3)
need is for the tips of the wheat leaves to reach across the row and touch the tips of their neighbor’s leaves for the winter to keep our fields from blowing. By doing this I feel you are saving most of your yield potential for the spring. You have the number of tillers set in the fall and with proper fertility and management in the spring, and of course, cooperation from Mother Nature, have just as good a crop if not better than normal. In theory, if you drill wheat the middle of September you are going to need more fertilizer than if you would have waited to drill the first of October. In most cases we put on, at the most, the same amount of fertilizer whether we drill the middle of September or the first of October. Why? With the price of fertilizer, use the same amount but wait 2-3 weeks later to drill. In my mind that is a more efficient use of your fertilizer, and your money as well. Secondly, our fly-free date in this area is around the 4th-8th of October depending on who you talk to. In recent years Hessian fly has slowly become more of an issue each year. We will never get rid of them entirely, but we can help prevent them from becoming an epidemic. Now, MY wheat in this article just made 70 bu/ac., what does yours make normally? (just kidding, of course). With enough little adjustments or fine turning of our management, we can gradually add a bushel here and there. As you know that makes a big differ-
PRESIDENT VICE-PRES. SEC/TREAS. DIRECTOR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR
WICHITA, KS PERMIT #1536
PAID PRSRT STD U.S.POSTAGE
“OUR MISSION IS TO BE A PROFITABLE, QUALITY SUPPLIER OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS & SERVICES”
SEPTEMBER 2007
FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY GARDEN PLAIN, KS
Volume 10, Issue
visit our web site at www.gardenplaincoop.com
From the General Manager’s Office by Terry Kohler Time is fast approaching to plant the 2008 wheat crop. This season forces us to look ahead, to forget the past. We always need to learn from the past but don’t let us dwell on the past. With that in mind try to make your own list of the lessons that we did learn from the 2007 harvest. Some of the list could go as follows; (1) Have a good marketing plan, revise it as time passes, but above all have a plan. Don’t be frightened to forward contract grain at a good price with a plan. (2) Have a good fertility program; the plan must have the right nutrients at the right time. (3) Have a fungicide and disease prevention plan, pre-plant and post emerge. (4) Purchase cost effective crop insurance coverage to cover your costs. (5) None of us have any control over the weather, or should. The Farmers Cooperative Elevator has sold their ownership interest in the Fuel Outlet Propane business to the majority owner Dan Claassen. We are appreciative of your past support of our propane business. In turn, Propane Central has purchased the propane business of Fuel Outlet Propane. The Board of Directors has voted to proceed with the Grain Alliance. At this time all 10 local cooperatives involved in the discussions have voted at their re-
spective board meetings to proceed to the next step. This grain alliance should gain efficiencies in freight, storage, and marketing clout in the grain industry. As local cooperatives we are in daily competition with international grain companies on our grain bids to you, the producer. If this alliance is formed we will still be very small fish in the pond but we will be working together to protect our interests and yours in the grain industry.
From the Board Of Directors by Rick Casley Greeting from the Board of Directors of the Farmers Coop Elevator. This has been a strange year from the start. Everything looked wonderful on the beginning and then we have the April freeze and also rain that wouldn’t quit. Now it’s so dry we want rain and can’t get it. I love farming, bit it can be a challenge to say the least. The Farmers Coop is tied directly to our farming enterprises. And we as farmers need to realize that as we struggle with good and bad crops and decisions on our part. Through it all the Coop is there to help us in the hard times and the good times. Without this company of which you are a member, farming would have a very different outlook. The Farmers Coop is not any different than most other businesses. We have challenges that have to be addressed and many decisions that have to be made. Speaking on behalf of the board of directors, there are many new and wonderful opportunities that lay ahead of us. We work very hard at seeking out ways to
improve the company and keep it one of the strongest. We thank you for your patronage and have a wonderful fall season.
News from the Fuel Department by Susie Graber Gasoline prices are losing some of the summer premium they have been carrying. Markets are slowly trying to turn around. It will be hard to get the diesel prices to come down any significant amount with heating oil season right around the corner. So far the Gulf has dodged the hurricanes in the area, and that has been a huge factor in the price drops. We have already had a few inquiries about winter diesel. We will start delivering winter diesel around the middle of October. A reminder to our contract diesel patrons – you have until the end of September to use your gallons. Have a safe fall season, and as always, we appreciate your business.
News from Belmont by Steve Goebel Here at the Belmont location we have started applying fertilizer on wheat ground. At the present time we are current on what we have orders for, but if we get some much needed moisture we will have lots of ground to cover. Please get your orders in so that we can get them done in a timely fashion. (continued on page 2)
From the Feedstore by Joe Krehbiel
(continued from page 1)
We are awaiting delivery of a new tank for liquid fertilizer. One of our old tanks was in very poor condition and had to be replaced. Hopefully we will receive the tank in time to be used for storage of 10-34-0. I don't think it will create a shortage but it would be helpful if the patrons would inform us of their plans to use 10-34-0 and the approximate amounts they will need. Thanks again for your business.
News from Norwich by Nancy Proctor Well, one of my favorite sayings and one that I have put in the newsletter before is “Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.” With this in mind, I have asked to be reassigned to a non-managerial position with the Farmers Coop. At this time I am not sure where this will lead me but I am planning to stay with the Farmers Coop as long as they will have me. As I am writing this, it is almost 10 years to the day that I started working for the Farmers Coop. I am extremely grateful for the many opportunities that I have had to learn and grow as part of this company and I hope to be able to continue to do so in some capacity. NH3 season is in full swing! We are trying to keep our 10 tanks full and ready to go. Please bring the empty tanks back promptly so we can get them refilled and ready to go out again. It also helps us tremendously if you return the tank to the location that you got it from. Also we are still cleaning wheat so give us a call and get on the list. Take care and we are all hoping for some rain and a good fall harvest season.
Congratulations to Larry Werner for being named “Employee of the Quarter!” Larry has been with the Farmers Coop for 34 years. He is the first face you see as you walk in the Garden Plain office. Larry has too many functions for the Coop to mention all of them. He keeps an eye on the markets and helps patrons with grain marketing options. You can catch Larry’s daily market close comments by calling 316535-2681. Larry is also very helpful with proof reading the newsletter. Larry and his wife, Vera, live in Garden Plain and Vera is a teacher at Garden Plain Elementary. They have 3 children, Jason, Janine, and JoAnna. Jason is in the Kansas City area, Janine and the 2 grandchildren, McKayla and Damien are in Wichita. JoAnna is a Junior at Garden Plain High School. When Larry is not working he likes to go antiquing and you will often times find him jogging. He has a special affection for old tractors so the next time you see him, ask him about the one with the cracked block. Also take a minute and let Larry know that you appreciate him as much as we do.
Boy, how things have changed from too wet to too dry! Pasture grass has really taken a hit. Looks like we better start to supplement the livestock. Check with us for everything from creep feed, to lick tubs, and also liquid supplements. Give us a call and we’ll figure your cost. Check out our summer close-out prices on the Buckner Corn Grills. For the winter we also have a few carry over Corn-Glo Stoves on hand. If you’re interested, now is the time to buy, the new inventory will be higher. We are trying to become more efficient in all areas at your local Coop. One way you can help us here at the Feedstore is by giving us more lead time on your feed needs. If at all possible, please give us a day’s notice for your rations. This way we can plan our day more efficiently. Same-day call ins put everyone in a bind. Thanks for your cooperation. Overheard coffee drinkers wit and wisdom: Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced “onety one”? Why do “slow down” and “slow up” mean the same thing? How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?
News from our Gard’n-Wise Representative - Troy Simmons Cooler weather is just around the corner and hopefully the 100 degree temperatures are a thing of the past. September is the best time to fertilize your cool season turf grass (fescue and bluegrass). If you can only fertilize one time of year, now is the best time. Fescue will naturally thicken up in the fall if adequate moisture and nutrients are available. Fertilizing in the fall not only will help to thicken up your turf, it will also hasten the recovery from the summer’s stresses and provide a quicker green up in the spring. Fertilome’s Southwest Greenmaker or Winterizer are excellent fertilizers for fall. September is also the best time to seed or over seed your lawn. Not all grass seed is the same. Always read the seed tag and buy only certified grass seed. I recently saw a 50 lb. bag of grass seed advertised at one of the big chain stores for a very cheap price, so I had to go check it out. The seed tag had noxious weeds, weed seed, and crop seed listed on it. Not to mention one third of the grass in it was annual rye grass. So next year the people that planted that grass will have a third less grass in their yard since annual rye grass only grows for one season. Cheap seed will always cost you more money in the end! The Gard’n-Wise Premium Fescue Blend contains the best varieties and the cleanest seed available. We pick the varieties based on turf trials performed throughout the country and special emphasis is placed on KSU’s turf trials.
2
News Newsfrom from Clonmel Cheney & Anness by Steve Goebel The hot dry weather of byextremely Jim Schmitz
August our filling area really did tanks some We areinbusy anhydrous damage to our lawns. the rain we and just finished with With our corn harvest cooler inhave thisreceived area. It and looksthelike it is temperagoing to tures now is theand time repair the if damdepend on rain thetofirst freeze we age.going The feed stores rentmilo power are to get much in rakes, here. aerators thesein maVery littleand milo verti-cutters, was planted early this chines do an excellent job of area because of all the rain. preparing your for reseeding Fall apThelawn Dunn’s fish truckand wasa here on plication of fertilizer. The feed the September 5th and the driverstores was all carry a full of sales grass have seedsbeen and saying how slowline their fertilizers to get yourI guess yard back in the last month or so. whether shape. you re-seed your you are Ifwheat farmersinorthe fishFall, farmers lawn will look great the spring. you can still have badinyears. Anness: As always keep us informed of your fertilizer needs so we can have someone over there to fill tanks or load fertilizer.
News from Cheney by Dan Ramsdale August is gone with its heat and dry weather. September is here with cooler and hopefully wetter weather. Here at Cheney, we’re pretty busy with cleaning some seed wheat and also with loading NH3 tanks. Fall harvest is near and we will be taking milo, corn and soybeans here. Please remember that a full load of high moisture grain creates problems for us and may be rejected. A test is a small sample. Please check with us for your seed cleaning and treating, dry or liquid fertilizer to help with your fall planting needs. And as always, thank you for doing business at your local Coop.
News from our Crop Production Dept. by Jay Smith Here it is close to the middle of September and we are just now starting to see some volunteer wheat coming up. More than likely this will mean we might be drilling wheat a little later than we would normally like to. I think this is a good thing for a couple of reasons. With some of the wheat we are going to be drilling this fall, the test weight on it isn’t what we normally drill. While I have no doubt it will sprout and come up, I have concerns that it will not handle the hot temperatures that we some-
News from the Grain Department by Larry Werner Higher wheat prices are fine and it has been exciting to watch the market here lately as it has been extremely volatile. The main problem this year, compared to past years, is that most of our patrons have little or no wheat to sell. We do have fall crops with some yield potential but right now this is being hampered by the dry weather. But it does appear that we will have a milo harvest and if we should get some rain soon we could improve on our yield potential. With this in mind I decided to run the milo price chart that I ran last year to give a better perspective as to when the higher and lower prices occurred at different times of the year and how this may might compare to the high prices that we saw back in 1996. Looking at the chart I have the year, what the price was on January 1st, then the price on September 15th, which would be around the beginning of milo harvest, and then the price at the end of the year. Then I listed the high and low for that year and when they occurred. 1990---$3.50---$3.70---$3.50---low $3.40---Oct---high $4.45-- June 1991---$3.55---$4.20---$4.10---low $3.55---Jan ---high $4.20---Oct 1992---$4.10---$3.80---$3.30---low $3.05---Oct---high $4.40---Mar 1993---$3.25---$3.40---$4.65---low $3.10---Jun---high $4.65---Dec 1994---$4.65---$3.35---$3.45---low $3.20---Oct---high $4.70---Jan 1995---$3.35---$4.85---$6.05---low $3.35---Jan---high $6.05---Dec 1996---$6.10---$5.05---$3.70---low $3.60---Nov--high $8.15--May 1997---$3.55---$3.65---$3.70---low $3.45---Oct---high $4.55---Apr 1998---$3.65---$2.60---$2.85---low $2.45---Sept---high $4.05---Mar 1999---$2.90---$2.55---$2.55---low $2.35---July---high $3.20---Mar 2000---$2.55---$2.30---$2.30---low $2.25---Aug---high $3.40---Dec 2001---$3.35---$3.30---$3.07---low $2.73---June--high $3.43---Aug 2002---$3.07---$4.39---$4.11---low $2.85---Apr---high $4.70---Sep 2003---$4.13---$3.36---$3.89---low $3.07---July---high $4.20---Jan 2004---$4.02---$3.07---$2.76---low $2.70---Nov--high $5.14---Apr 2005---$2.75---$2.80---$3.07---low $2.64---Oct---high $3.66---July 2006---$3.15---$3.86---$6.56---low $2.88---Jun---high $6.56---Dec 2007---$6.55---?????---?????---low ?????--- ???---high ?????---??? It’s interesting to note that in 1995 we were looking at a high of $6.05 for milo only to follow the next year with an all time high of $8.15 on May 17th. Looking at year of 2006 we saw a high of $6.56 and it makes one wonder what the high will be in the spring of 2008. For those of you who still have wheat the high got to $7.30 on April 25th 1996. This occurred during the market but it closed at $7.10. With the volatility in the market we have seen some days when the market was up the limit and I have had some patrons ask again what the limits are on grain. The daily limits on grain futures are as follows: wheat – 30 cents, corn – 20 cents, soybeans – 50 cents, and oats – 20 cents. Now if on a market day three consecutive future months close up the limit then the next day the limit will be expanded 1 ½ times the limit base. After the third market day the limit reverts back to the original limit base. Now keep in mind that wheat for instance could be up the limit by 30 cents but we could get a change in the basis of 10, 15 or even 30 cents as well. times have the end of September. We are a little dry now and heat stress on top of a plant that doesn’t have good seedling vigor to start with, is like growing wheat all year without any fertilizer. Waiting to drill your wheat until October would give your lower test weight seed wheat some relief from the hot/warm temperatures and give a little boost to the seedling vigor. If you stop and think about it we grow winter wheat in this area not spring wheat, a
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cool season grass not a warm season grass. So, no, we might not get as much grazing as we usually would out of the wheat this year, we’ll just have to take the good with the bad. Outside of grazing, we don’t need an abundance of foliage going into the winter months. The only thing an abundance of foliage is good for is for leaf rust in the fall, aphids and mites. None of these help our yield potential. All we (continued on page 4)
ence when you get paid on production. As always, if you have any questions or need help with anything, call me at 316-772-1423.
FOR SALE Round Bales of Bermuda, 4 x 5, $35 Small square prairie hay & mixed grass, $4 Also an old school yard type Teeter totter $25 call 316-640-4355 Alfalfa, Prairie Hay & Oats Round Bales, 5 x 4, net wrapped call 620-545-7269 46’ John Deere A, 76’ Ford F-150, auto. 2 - 36” Heckedorn Mowers call 620-545-7445 JD - DSC 20-hole, Grain Drill, $1050 8’ 3 pt. Disc, $325 5’ Bushhog 3pt. Mower, $350 call 620-532-2768 2– 8350 JD Double Disc w/ Double-time Hitch 316-794-8527 JD 940 32’ Cultivator, 3-bar Coil-tine Harrow, $1900 JD 8300 20 hole Grain Drill, JD 8350 20 hole Grain Drill you chose the drill, $1800/ea. 620-243-3253 or 620-532-2768
FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY DIRECTORY ANNESS – BELMONT – CHENEY – TOLL FREE – TBA – CLONMEL – GARDEN PLAIN – TOLL FREE – FEED STORE – GRAIN MARKETKINGMAN – TOLL FREE – MURDOCK – NORWICH – RAGO –
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need is for the tips of the wheat leaves to reach across the row and touch the tips of their neighbor’s leaves for the winter to keep our fields from blowing. By doing this I feel you are saving most of your yield potential for the spring. You have the number of tillers set in the fall and with proper fertility and management in the spring, and of course, cooperation from Mother Nature, have just as good a crop if not better than normal. In theory, if you drill wheat the middle of September you are going to need more fertilizer than if you would have waited to drill the first of October. In most cases we put on, at the most, the same amount of fertilizer whether we drill the middle of September or the first of October. Why? With the price of fertilizer, use the same amount but wait 2-3 weeks later to drill. In my mind that is a more efficient use of your fertilizer, and your money as well. Secondly, our fly-free date in this area is around the 4th-8th of October depending on who you talk to. In recent years Hessian fly has slowly become more of an issue each year. We will never get rid of them entirely, but we can help prevent them from becoming an epidemic. Now, MY wheat in this article just made 70 bu/ac., what does yours make normally? (just kidding, of course). With enough little adjustments or fine turning of our management, we can gradually add a bushel here and there. As you know that makes a big differ-
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