Harvest 2012 Update

   I received some rain last night and it does seem that the weather has returned to a more normal pattern.  Those that will be seeding wheat for next year will get good soil moisture now. 
   I have been harvesting my soybeans and am glad that the august rains and cooler weather has actually helped restore my bean crop to normal yields.  In fact I am looking for a 60 bushel per acre average by next post I will know.  Some of the corn fields in the area are doing well also when others were hurt by bad weather and timing of critical pollination. 
  Predictions are that the United States will harvest around 10.6 billion bushels of corn this fall, earlier this spring some forecasts were at 14.7 billion.  The drought reduced the harvest by 4 billion bu.  Surveys show that there are on average 24,000 ears of corn to harvest per acre in Illinois when planting rates are close to 34,000 seeds per acre.  Weather reduced both the size of ear and number of ears to lose those 4 billion bushels.
  When I begin corn harvest I will update you as to how my fields have coped this year.
There are a lot of fields in Kane and Kendall counties in Illinois that are terrible.  Here in Dekalb county it is much better.  10 miles and in some cases across the road is the difference between a good crop and almost nothing.
   There are a lot of good farmers that have produced a bad crop this year.  Fortunately there are some insurance policies that help and 85% of farmers take some level of coverage depending on their needs and how much premiums they wish to pay. Farmers in the U.S. have had good harvests in other years and have some equity to fall back on, if not our bankers are understanding when a reduced crop is harvested and help us prepare for borrowing for next years production.
   Our overseas brothers given the same crop reductions do not have those advantages.  We need to join hands and together we can lift them up to survive and thrive.  By working with a network of Church worldwide programs, FRB and all of us helping together can make a difference.  What we take for granted is not an option for many.  We hope to give them those options with your help.  Some projects work with establishing a local credit system to grow a crop, some work on water resources to help spam dry periods, some on new seeds and fertilizer, and many need to do all those and more.  Find out more at www.foodsresourcebank.org

                                                                       Serving together,  Dean Lundeen