Farm Friday

[Ian & Val Plagge]

This week on the farm we have been busy hauling corn to the ethanol plant.  We also have been busy making sure our hogs stay cool during these high temperatures and triple digit heat indexes.  The pigs in our building currently are around 100 pounds, this means we like to keep their houses at 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  When the outside temperature is higher than our ideal conditions we have misters or sprinklers automatically turn on to help keep the pigs comfortable.  When hogs are at market weight between 260 and 280 pounds, we like to keep their houses between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

As for "my backyard" this week, at the beginning of the week the corn started tasseling, which is the last stage in the vegetative growth cycle known as VT.

And now by the end of the week, the corn has begun silking, which is the first stage in the reproductive growth cycle known as R1.  At this stage pollination begins when pollen grains from the tassels contact the new and moist silks.  When scouting this field I came out with pollen grains all over me.  I'm happy that temperatures are forecasted to be cooler and that we have a chance of rain next week, because the largest yield reduction due to stress happens at this stage.

.

Now onto my "hog's backyard":

The soybeans started their reproductive stages last week by beginning to flower.  This week they are at R2, which means they are at full bloom and have flowers within the top two nodules of the plant.

Click Here for more updates on Val's blog.

[Patrick Mukasa]

Dear val well done . Thanx for the inspiration and sharing. Iam expanding the hog house from 15 to 45 semidetached units that house 5-6 animals. I'm amazed at how you keep such a big number of animals in one house.
The food we have here is corn, fish,soya,cotton seed cake and shells .advise me on feeding to maximise weight.

[John Walter]

Hope the crops hold up for you guys!

[Ian & Val Plagge]

Despite the lack of rain and heat we have been very pleased with how our crops have handled everything.  Go Channel!

[K2]

wish our crops looked that good