Alfalfa weevils develop based on temperature, or accumulating degree days, and I’m starting to see some weevils in alfalfa fields. A net sweep will help determine whether or not to spray for them. Cutting alfalfa is an effective management tool for alfalfa weevil larvae, and we’re a week or less away from first cutting. First crop alfalfa looks to be top-quality.
Overall, crops are looking good here. The corn is coming through with good color, especially considering the wet conditions we’ve had. We’re seeing good stands. I’ve been doing stand counts and the populations are solid. If a farmer planted at 32,000 or 34,000, I’m seeing a solid population of 32,000 or 34,000. I believe the stand counts are so good because time was on our side during the early planting. Farmers were driving about 4 to 5 miles per hour, so we had good seed-to-soil contact.
Proper planting speed can have one of the biggest impacts on performance. Now I’m seeing guys pushing because they’re eager to get those seed in the ground. As hard as it is, we just need to slow down and do it right. There’s still plenty of time to get this crop planted.
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