Good corn tonnage observed

(CIFN photo)

PONTIAC – Don Mackinson, who farms north of Pontiac in Livingston County, has observed really good tonnage from corn silage chopping.

“I think for us right here in Esmen Township, it’s got to be some of the best-looking corn silage we’ve had in years,” Mackinson told The Central Illinois Farm Network on Sunday.

The Mackinsons chopped around 100 acres this year and have done up to 130 acres in the past. After finishing their own silage, they are doing some custom jobs this week. With all of the recent heat, the corn is really drying down.

“There will be some guys in the middle of September go out and get ready to harvest,” noted Mackinson.

While wheat yields were good this year, alfalfa has been a challenge. The high humidity and pop-up showers in July didn’t help matters.

“We just couldn’t get things to dry down.”

The fourth alfalfa cutting is starting now for Mackinson and they are watching out for army worms which can really destroy an alfalfa field in a hurry.

With over 2.5 inches of rain falling in the past week, soybeans around Mackinson look good. He feels the rain really pushed beans over the top. Mackinson is a dairy farmer and considers the recent hot weather a challenge as cows don’t like warm temperatures.

“Cow production was way down and consumption was way down since they don’t eat much,” Mackinson explained.

Mackinson hopes everyone has a safe harvest this year and encourages fellow farmers to sit down and take a break every once in a while.

“Let’s have a bumper crop and don’t tell Chicago,” he joked.