Author Archives: Rich Lee (Iowa)

About Rich Lee (Iowa)

Rich is a self-proclaimed tinkerer and troubleshooter who enjoys building anything and everything.

A Wimpy Winter

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

This has been about as wimpy of a winter as I have ever seen.  That may come back to bite me, but for a person who has lived in the Midwest forever and lived thru many a cold spell, this season has been remarkable. Are 40 and 50 degree days the new winter? The short answer is no. Weather always changes and we are experiencing a period of increasing weather volatility.  Last summer saw record winds and warmer than normal … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa, Planting | View Comments

The Haunted Ear

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

A tale not written but often told, From corn fields yellow, brown and gold. A farmer’s quest, his mission clear, Take from the fields the biggest ear. But as you seek, so shall you find, An ear unlike all other kind. Ghosts and spirits are things to fear, But none as evil as the haunted ear. Stay from the fields this Hallows Eve, Though some may enter none will leave.

Posted in Syngenta | View Comments

Good Ear, Bad Ear – Part 2

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

Once again, here are the same two ears from my last posting. Both ears came from the same field. So why did the ear on the right not fill out as well as the one on the left? The simple answer is compaction, but that simple answer is only where the story begins. As with most field problems, there will usually be more than one thing at the cause. In this case the compacted part of the field caught a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011 Harvest, Corn, Harvest, Iowa, Profitability, Syngenta | View Comments

Good Corn, Bad Corn. That Tale of the Tip

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

Harvest is an excellent time to look at your ears, your corn ears that is. Bits and pieces of the entire growing season can be seen on the ears that are now heavy in the husk and waiting for harvest. One of the easiest stories to read is the stress that came during grain fill. Below are two ears from different hybrids from the same field. The ear on the left is a “good” ear for a flex type hybrid. … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011 Harvest, Corn, Harvest, Iowa, Profitability, Syngenta | View Comments

Sudden Death Syndrome in Iowa-Is it Still There?

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

Sudden death in sports events usually means a quick and exciting finish to a game. You never quite know how things will turn out. Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans may have some similarities to sudden death in sports: a quick finish, an unknown ending and the end of the season. Fortunately for growers, SDS is not always the season-ending event. In our area, we are now starting to see the familiar SDS symptoms of yellow leaves, which eventually turn … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois, Iowa, Profitability, Scouting, Soybeans, Sudden Death Syndrome, Syngenta | View Comments

Watch Out Wisconsin and Beyond! – Western Bean Cutworm

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

The following is an update from Mike Weiss, Agronomic Service Representative, Wisconsin: We are just past the peak flight period for Western bean cutworm in central and northern Wisconsin and it’s important for growers to keep an eye out for this pest.  The scouting procedure is to count the egg masses or small caterpillars on 20 consecutive plants in five random locations in each field. If 5 percent of the plants are infested, an insecticide application is recommended. Western bean … Continue reading →

Posted in Agrisure Viptera, Corn, Pests, Scouting, Western Bean Cutworm, Wisconsin | View Comments

Popping Corn in the Heat

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

Next time you find yourself laying in the shade of a 97° F day gasping for air and someone comes up to you and says, “Sure, it’s hot but it’s good for the corn,” you have my permission to disagree with them. True, corn does like heat and it grows best with warm weather, but I use the term “warm” weather, not blast furnace weather, like we are experiencing throughout the summer. Heat can be good, but too much of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Corn, Iowa, Japanese Beetle, Profitability, Rootworm Beetle, Yield | View Comments

Getting Clipped

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

You just have to admire the way Mother Nature can change things up. Until just a couple of years ago, we just had to worry about silk clipping from rootworm beetles. Now, just to make life more interesting, along comes the Japanese beetle. This new pest coming from the East is rapidly adapting to Iowa. It is sometimes found in heavy populations in our corn and soybean fields. Usually the leaf feeding caused by Japanese beetles is minor enough that … Continue reading →

Posted in Corn, Iowa, Japanese Beetle, Pests | View Comments

It’s Mid- June, Do You Know Where Your Corn Is At?

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

Not where it’s planted, I mean what condition it’s in.  This is another unique growing season for most of us and right now is one of the best times to make a quick pass through all the corn and see what’s happening.  Does it look like a $7 or $8 crop? Also, it’s a heck of a lot easier to walk through corn now than it will be at tassel time. By now, most all of our corn is at … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa, Planting Population, Syngenta | View Comments

Soybeans: the Second Crop

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Rich Lee (Iowa)

When it comes to soybean planting, it is hard to go wrong.  I mean, really, just look at some of the things I have seen in the field and how it is often done. Planting date – Any time after the corn is finished is fine for beans. Planting population – Somewhere between 140,000 and 200,000 seeds per acre. Planting depth – Again, all over the board. It wanders from “a few on top” to two inches deep. Maturity – … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbicides, Insects, Iowa, NK Soybeans, Planting, Planting Population, Soybeans | View Comments