Boots In The Field Report

Ken Ferrie gives an overview of the aftermath of all this rain and hail including: the need to remain vigilant in fields zeroed out for hail damage for weed management, yellowing in, Fusarium wilt, and white mold in beans, deficiencies showing in corn – oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen, and options for rescue applications of nitrogen.

Ken gives an update on: planting progress, stand evaluations, and nitrate levels in this week’s Boots In The Field.

In this week’s episode, Ken Ferrie defines what constitutes a CTC “A+” planting rating and the specific environmental conditions needed to achieve it. He breaks down the CTC stoplight signals, showing growers how to use these metrics to guide their planting decisions for maximum success.The goal is simple but critical: ensuring every seed emerges as evenly as possible. Ferrie explains why growers should have a plan to plant their entire corn acreage in just 5–7 working days, allowing them to wait for the perfect weather window to chase their highest yields yet.

Ken Ferrie talks frost damage on beans and planting windows for corn in this Boots In The Field Report

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report, Ken Ferrie talks about how in the early planted beans, growers need to be watchful for a need to replant the ponds and to keep a close eye on conventional tillage fields for crusting. He encourages growers to hoe before they know, check on their seed quality, and to use the rain delay to finish up last minute items so they can be ready to go once we dry up.

Ken talks about what to consider in several areas due to drought conditions; tillage, anhydrous applications, topdressing wheat, population and hybrid selection and more in this week’s Boots In The Field Report!

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report Ken Ferrie walks through some of the questions that come in during the Virtual College about tillage tools and how to evaluate which is the right one for your situation.

Ken does a round robin crop recap with some of our northern growers who came to Osage, IA to help with the hand shelling day.

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report Ken Ferrie talks all things fall tillage including adjustments for dry soil and warnings about anhydrous applications in these drought conditions.

Beans are disappearing fast, but make sure to keep an eye on stalk quality while waiting for corn to dry down, especially in fields that didn’t get sprayed. Everyone at the field be on the lookout for signs of a field fire and of team burnout in these long dry stretches. These reminders and more in this week’s Boots In The Field Report.

“Don’t ignore your gas gauge” Ken Ferrie talks initial yields coming in from early April corn and breaks down why a statement taken out of context can be very dangerous for approaching phosphorus applications this fall in this week’s Boots In The Field Report.

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report Ken Ferrie reports high variability from field to field in pollination issues and disease pressure for corn in central IL. Between tip pull back, tar spot, and southern rust some of the top end yield has been reduced in comparison to last year’s crop. He also talks with Matt Duesterhaus about weather conditions and yield potential in western IL. Ken stresses scouting now to be able to make more accurate yield estimates for this season.

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report, Ken Ferrie covers how current weather patterns are setting the stage in Tar Spot Alley and shares an update on three new counties where tar spot has been confirmed. Ken also dives into pollination concerns showing up in hybrids planted around April 14th and warns how upcoming weather could further hinder pollination success. With sightings of winged aphids on the rise, Ken urges growers to stay alert for disease pressure and pest activity—scouting now could make all the difference.