It?s a busy week for farmers across Iowa as warm conditions have really opened the door for spring planting. Brothers Dave and Kenny McGargill of rural Randolph were planting corn Tuesday on their family farm.
After a two-week stretch of cooler temperatures, Kenny told us it was nice to get things rolling and start getting their crop in the ground.
?It?s always good to get started,? said Kenny McGargill. ?It seems like we are a little bit later this year. It was kind of cool there for a couple weeks and everybody kind of held off. This week it seems like everybody is starting to go. The soil temps are coming up and getting warm. I think I saw a deal that said it was over 50 for soil temperature. It would be nice to catch a rain here this week or the start of next week anyway.?
During the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network?s visit to the farm, Dave was planting corn with their Kinze 12-row twin line planter. Kenny handles the soybean crop and uses a no-till drill.
?My planter is kind of an older planter as you can see,? Dave McGargill said. ?It?s one that we?ve had for probably 15 years. It?s just one of those things that fits me. I like it. Even though it?s old like me it still gets around and does the job. Everything is comfortable with air conditioning. Yesterday it was 88 degrees, but it was 73 where I was sitting the whole day. We?re spoiled with what we got and very lucky.?
Kenny said last year?s spring planting season flew right by and they hope it?s a similar theme this year, while Dave notes that they?ve been dealing with drought issues since last summer.
?In July and August, we didn?t get much over an inch to an inch and a half of rain from the 4th of July until we harvested,? said Dave. ?Our subsoil moisture is low. We got probably three and a half inches of rain in March with a little bit of snow melt. There?s reason to be concerned.?
Dave and Kenny?s full video feature can be viewed near the top of this article. Below, you?ll find Dave?s Facebook Live interview with IARN Field Editor Brent Barnett.
