From the Fields: Scouting with drone

We are in full summertime mode with the activities going on around the farm. The sprayer is still running, applying the last of the herbicides on the soybeans. We are keeping the pressure washer busy cleaning up all the planting equipment and preparing it for storage.

During the summer, we spend a great deal of time looking at our crops. Currently, we are using weekly tissue tests, periodic soil tests, as well as the old-fashioned boots-on-the-ground technique to keep an eye on things.

Mother Nature always seems to have a different surprise for us each crop year. Something new we are using this year is drones to frequently fly over and scout some fields. So far, it has been helpful at making replant decisions. We look forward to seeing how it will benefit us throughout the growing season.

With the dry weather pattern we are experiencing right now, diseases shouldn’t be a very big problem. Insects always have an impact on crops. We try to be proactive at controlling those populations, but continue to monitor outbreaks.

Our summer is very busy with county and state fairs, as well as our annual Clay County Farm Bureau meeting. Of our four children, three of them are now involved in showing multiple species and doing several projects through our county 4-H program.

Over the next few weeks, we will finish up the spraying and mowing of field edges. We will work on various projects around the farm, including beginning to prepare for harvest. It is also a time we like to slow down a little and spend time with family.