Jensen Seed Company
41439 330th Ave NW
Stephen, MN 56757
(218) 478-3397
jensenfarmmn@gmail.com
  • Home
  • 2023 Wheat Seed
  • Seed Cleaning
  • Vanderhave Sugarbeet Seed
  • About Us
  • Betsy's Blog

Betsy's Blog

Sometimes pessimistic, mostly optimistic, always realistic.

email Betsy

We're almost ready, but Mother Nature is not #plant13

5/2/2013

0 Comments

 
We got the backhoe and dug the remaining pieces of equipment out of snowbanks.  We're almost ready to go, but Mother Nature has different plans for us.  Patience, patience, patience is the name of the game. 

The biggest problem when it gets this late for planting is the rush.  It's like waiting until Christmas Eve to do your Christmas shopping.  You end up at the mall with all the other procrastinators, and come home crabby after failing to find the perfect present.  Instead, we push to get everything done, working long hours and minor breakdowns have major implications.  You would be well advised to avoid all farmers during the month of May.  We're either crabby because we're not in the field, or crabby because we are, and now we're short of sleep and patience. 

I visited with a banker this week, and he asked me if I thought farmers were prepared to deal with lower yields.  We've had a few good years, and it is easy to forget the years with mediocre yields.  Farmers do have crop insurance, but it covers you in a disaster.  Most farmers buy insurance that covers them if yields are below 65% to 75% of a normal yield.  Take away 25% to 35% of your income for the year, and think about how you would handle it.  It is not a disaster, but it certain causes some serious pinches. 

A headline from this morning's newspaper read "Farmers got too much aid in drought, report says."  Interesting.  Drought affected many farmers last summer, and they collected crop insurance, but that insurance helped provide them with 65% to 75% of their normal income.  You can purchase up to 85% crop insurance, but it is quite costly, and few farmers are willing to spend that much on insurance.  It should be noted that the "report" quoted in the article was written by a lobbying organization that is anti-farming.  I wouldn't exactly call that non-biased. 

It's too early for me to begin thinking about crop insurance.  We had to purchase it by March 15, so it's not like we can make changes.  And I do not plan to collect crop insurance this year.  I have confidence Mother Nature will get back on track, and give us spring weather, and soon! 

On a positive note, we do have 240 acres of winter wheat planted.  Oh sure it was planted last fall, but still.  We're 240 acres ahead of our neighbors.  Ha!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    This is what I get for majoring in agriculture economics at North Dakota State University.  A farm near the Canadian border, far from any delivery restaurants or shopping centers.  Sometimes in life you get nothing that you prayed for, and yet so much more than you asked.  Life doesn't have to be easy to be wonderful and blessed.

    Archives

    January 2018
    November 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All
    Agriculture
    Corn
    Farming
    Food
    #harvest13
    #plant13
    #plant14
    Sugarbeets
    Vegan
    Wheat

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.