Yea, my favorite time of year, harvest and football!

And this fall has been even better so far; we have officiated some great games, in fact we had an overtime game last Friday. It’s hard to see either team lose such a hard fought game, and it stings players even more to put 7 on the board when it is your turn in overtime, and then watch your opponent put up 8 for the win. But, that is why they play the game!

Speaking of overtime, this is the time of year when growers are at it almost around the clock. On the supply side, the seed agronomists and sales professionals put in a lot of overtime, too. Having been a multi line seed dealer at my retail outlet, I have experienced the guantlet of fall plot/harvest seasons. The information that the seed industry “harvests” from plots, strip trials and riding combines is vital for putting together product proposals for customers the next season, and the developmental product reports from this fall will help provide direction for genetics, seed selection, and production for ‘09 and beyond.

Some of the best info I ever gathered was while riding in the combine with customers; not only about seed needs, but also about issues like pest management, fertility, planter performance and soil and tillage management. A massive amount of seed got booked, a lot of notes got taken, and this info helped to shape our agronomic plans for the future. It was also a great time to share a drink and a snack and get to know my customers and their families a little better. So, as a grower, if a seed professional pulls in the field while you are harvesting. consider giving them a ride and sharing your insights. Just be sure the seed professionals provide the drink and snacks!

Speaking of plot data, we get overwhelmed with it each fall when it is time to book seed. Early booking typically earns the best discounts and seed selection, so I tend to encourage growers to consider early bookings. A point that I am reminded of when I talk about this is that there will need to be some flexibility, as changes are likely to be made to early seed orders, from both the customers and the seed companies. Both parties typically agree that hybrid/variety selections, quantities and seed sizes may change, so we don’t get too excited about being “locked in” to an order that we can’t change, because invariably the orders do change. We are usually just laying out the framework of the order based on genetics we know we want access to for the next season. Speaking of choosing genetics…

Here a a few tips to help pick products- from an ISU Integrated Crop Management Newsletter article »

Parting thought — with all the hours everyone puts in this time of year, fatigue is a huge safety issue. The crop has to come out, so the hours will be worked; let’s be as careful as possible; stay safe and have a great harvest.

SOURCE: ISU’s Clarke McGrath

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