I had a eye opener yesterday! I suggest every one take a driv!

[Hopperbin]

Klause told me leaf diseases are getting less. Had to slap myself to see if I was dreaming. Airplane has been buzzing for a few days to the north. Myself I will wait on fungicide yet for wheat maybe do it in Fusarium timing. Don't see much of anything in peas either.

[farmaholic]

Hopper, I've been asking guys here how much drier it would have to be before they wouldn't spray. Don't be a sheeple, base your decision on your farm. Previous rain, how long does it stay wet in the morning if there is any dew, crop canopy, crop stage, crop potential, commodity price, rain in the near forecast (hahaha). IMO there was no way in hell a fungicide application was warranted here. As I said, how much drier would it have to be before you wouldn't spray? I can only speak for my farm...

[farmaholic]

My acres, 2400 times $17.50 average/ac is $42,000. What are my chances of recovering that and getting more for the efforts. ****, I'm hoping the worst case scenario is breaking even not incurring more expense. Some people drank too much kool-aid or can't think for themselves.

[Cattleman]

Farmaholic. I totally agree. I can't believe how much people spray. People on here complain about costs and how they are getting screwed by every part of the system, yet they play right into the systems hands!

For me,I am a shitty grain farmer. There is the odd field of hay breaking I haven't fertilized. Pull some oats out of the bin seed it, spray buctril M, and I am done. Often get 70 to 80 bushels/acre. I haven't sprayed fungicides. Am I maximizing yield, - no, am I leaving money on the table - probably. Am I putting money into my pocket- yes. I have old equipment that owes me nothing. I do make up fertilizer in following years. I seeded more canola this year. It will yield brutal, but seed chem (an in crop spray for weeds, plus burn off), fert, fuel. I need about 14 bushels per acre to cover costs. Add a few bushels for land payments/rent and all is good I am not going to hit huge home runs, but usually putting money in my pocket and enjoying life. Probably sound like a fool, because I am doing everything wrong from how it is "supposed to get done" But Looking after myself first!! I have hay in rotation which I think is huge advantage, but that sure seems to be outside of everyone's realm on here as well.

[stonepicker]

Hey cattleman, a profit is a profit, can't complain about that!!

[SASKFARMER3]

If you have a crop coming that's above 7 or 8 on a scale to 10 then spraying is worth it. The one thing the floods taught our farm is F$%K it its not worth helping or saving a dying crop.
Even if some of these crops get two to three inch slow rain their big yield potential is gone. You cant make ugly pretty. You can dress her up and put makeup on but still ugly in the morning.
Most years the floods by the farm progress show week had done their damage and all you could do was sit back and watch the train wreck coming.
Sad part is counting on the feds or prov. to help doesn't work. Even if you do get a check in a year or two from Agra stability they will audit you and most will have to pay it back. Look at broad acre with the best accountants doing the numbers and still they owed close to a half mill back.
Sad fact is your on your own.

[farmaholic]

Re: everybody on their own. It isn't me I'm concerned about but the start-up guys or the ones making an honest humble effort. Established operations should be able to take one on the chin but a barrage of hits could take some good potential producers out... no fault of their own.

[freewheat]

Glad to see some on here who do not spray no matter what. We have been having VERY wet nights. In theory, there should be disease, and lots of it. But there is very, very little. Also, IF it doesn't rain this weekend, areas with a bigger looking crop are going to go downhill very fast with all that material to feed.

I do not like the spray regardless principle either. Spray if needed.

[bucket]

Wouldn't it make more sense to widen the row spacing and let the crop breathe instead of getting a thick canopy that creates humid greenhouse under it?

My neighbor is starting his 5th pass on the lentils. Beautiful crop for sure but he's got at least one more sprayer pass yet this year.

I would be looking for ways to mitigate those sprayer passes.

Corn is on what spacing? There has to be a reason.

[ado089]

Corn rows are 30" because that's how wide a horses ass is.

[bucket]

But it allows air to the bottom. Ground stays shaded and cooler.

[Horse]

Ado dont pick on a horses ass mine ant anyway neer 30 1n.
Sask and Klause and any others that felt the need to drain every slough so you could grow another bu or grain,do you mabey get the feeling mabey some of that water left standing may have helped. They say water breeds water.

[westernvicki]

Went on a drive Thursday, crops looks pretty good, went on a drive Saturday, heat stress was obvious in many fields.

Amazing the change in two days.