K2 Y1 closing out the rookie year

[K2]

What a great year to be a rookie. I hope I didnt use up all of my luck for the rest of my life. I thought I would list the things Im thankful for in this first year.

1. Finding a good little planter 6-11 JD1780 mint. I have never run a planter and its pretty bullet proof
2. E sets that made corn planting easier
3. Corn rotation in the bottoms that let me plant 3 weeks earlier than most
4. The rainstorm in Cincy that died out and let me finish planting soybeans
5. Those cattle that grazed out those 30 acres and saved me spraying out the volunteer corn
6. Hedging the crop in 2008 +/-
7. Writing options for $60 an acre and not having to give even partials back
8. An understanding wife
9. Finding a young man that was hungry for the custom work and harvested my crops first
10. Getting a break on moisture discounts to provide early corn
11. Getting a good basis from the above
12. Rain need I say more.... Rain
13. A friend that showed me how to break down a planter guage wheel
14. That the 28% was almost out when I burned a hole in the poly tank
15. Stink bugs only wiped out 3-5% instead of the whole corn crop
16. Friends that gave encouragement when confidence could have been lost

Looking back it sure took a lot of luck for things to turn our good.

Better for next year
1. New no-till coulters with fewer waves for less hair pinning
2. Add the other side spiked closers
3. Spray insecticide with burn down when no tilling into green vegetation
4. Get the coop to spray with narrow tired rig
5. Check all the row unit drive chains for kinks
6. Have more fun when planting.... I was a LITTLE tense.
7. Buy bulk 28% and store on farm for logistics and cost savings

What a great year. Hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving!

JK

[Michael]

Glad to hear that your first year was a good one. I have found that while not ever year is a successful year, each year should be a learning experience. Don't ever have the same year twice, always change things...learn from mistakes and look to them for guidance in the future. So far its worked for me!

[dale a. Brandt]

well i am happy for you. in all honesty most experianced farmers could list about as much as you did. my big decisions were planting all soybeans because it got so late--i am completed in harvest while the neighbors have corn at over 25% moisture and are waiting for a miracle to dry the crop down. and second- after the constant rain and missed harvest windows i bought a big high capacity combine...... so the crop went in in about 7 days and out in 8 days.