Staying current is important

Casey Hettinger stands by a planter on his Champaign County farm last week / CIFN photo.

CHAMPAIGN – In order to stay competitive in the world of farming, you must stay current on the latest technology.

Casey Hettinger, who farms with his father Steve around Champaign County, believes technology helps them as growers.

“We run high-speed planters so we can get across our acres quicker,” Hettinger told The Central Illinois Farm Network last week.

The Hettingers raise corn and soybeans in a 75-mile radius across Central Illinois. We visited with Hettinger while standing near a 36-row planter with 20 inch spacing which has various technology features.

“We are able to plant 10 miles an hour and we are also looking at our organic matter and moisture in the furrow.”

One of the perks of being farmers and a Precision Planting dealer include trying the products out in the field themselves.

“That way, we have the confidence in servicing (customers) and making sure they are going to enjoy the product too,” Hettinger said.

Last year included a rough spring for Hettinger with a very smooth harvest season. He feels very fortunate from a yield standpoint. As the spring planting seems to get pushed back later each year, Hettinger hopes 2021 will still be better than the year before.

“We almost replanted 50 percent of our corn acres,” he recalled.

The recent spike in prices has been really exciting for those growers with corn left to sell. Hettinger hopes those prices keep climbing.

Hettinger Farms south of Champaign, near the town of Philo, was one of the sites for last week’s Precision Planting Winter Conference. They are a Precision Planting Premier Dealer.