Views from the Cab

By David Tollefson, Columnist

After the drama of the past few years, regarding weather, world events and turbulent markets, I thought it would be fun to compare some statistics from the years 2020, 2021 and 2022.  Here goes:

Planting, wheat corn              beans

2020   4-17   4-27                  5-8

2021   4-5   4-29                  5-9

2022   5-5   5-18, 5-26        6-5

Prices of grain, Glenwood

10-12-2020       4.84   3.48     9.96

10-11-2021        9.16   5.25   12.03

10-12-2022       9.02   6.58   13.66     

Prices of gas

  10-11-2020  1.97  highest was 2.89

  10-7-2021   2.91   highest was 3.14

  10-12-2022  3.51  highest was 4.69, June 26

I receive weekly comments from Pope County’s own Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst and Senior Vice President, MinnStar Bank. He is well-known as a former 4-H leader, and expertly handles the popular forums at Farmfest every August.

Regarding markets, in his Oct. 10 report, he sums up the tough time we farmers have deciding when to sell our crops:

“Many farmers have had some difficulty making grain marketing decisions for the 2022 corn and soybean crops.  Being able to “lock-in” local cash prices over $6.00 per bushel for corn and over $13.00 per bushel for soybeans is the best opportunity that has existed during harvest season in many years. On the other hand, farmers do not want to miss another grain price “run-up,” given the current tight U.S. grain supplies. It is important to remember that the catalyst for another commodity price increase next year might be continued or worsening U.S. drought conditions as we head into the 2023 growing season. If a major drought does not develop in 2023, corn and soybean prices are likely to follow a more typical seasonal price pattern next year. No two years are the same, but historical price trends are something to keep in mind when analyzing grain marketing strategies for the 2022 crop.”

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At my farm, the soybeans are harvested, and the whole crop is in the huge pile of soybeans at the CHS Glenwood site.  

My corn crop is yet to be harvested, but surprisingly, given the late planting date, it is quite dry at this point. The very warm, dry summer and fall has matured the crop very well, saving us all drying charges that many years we experienced in the past.  Sometimes we have harvested into November to let the crop dry naturally.  

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For a little change of pace, I ran across a little story of “How are You?”

We all go through this as we mingle with people in our daily lives.

Here it is, from a book called “The Daily Dose,” by Mitch Anthony.

“How Are You?”  You may hear that question a dozen times today.  I want to try something different.  I want you to listen to your response to that almost automatic greeting.  Ask yourself, “What does my answer sound like?  Does it represent who I am?”

Some of the most common answers are, “I’m fine,” or “I’m O.K.,” or “Not Bad.”  Does that mean we’re good, simply because we are not bad?  Maybe we should just answer, “Not dead!”

Author Joe Batten says we need to use grander words if we want to be grand people.  Great people use great words.  Responses such as, “I’m having a great time,” or “Excellent,” or Wonderful,” are more stimulating.

I was recently walking around town with my father when someone asked him, “How are you?”

“Sunny, like the weather,” he answered as he smiled.

She smiled back and said “That’s a nice answer.”

His bright answer to “How are you?” brightened her day.  

“How would you have answered if the weather was lousy?” I asked.

“Sunny, UNlike the weather,” he responded with a grin. 

Let’s MAKE it a good day!

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Please contact David Tollefson with thoughts or comments on this or future columns at: adtollef@hcinet.net