On the eve of the USDA's March 31, 2011 Farm Acreage and Stock Report, one Will County farmer was increasing his corn acreage by plowing up an alfalfa field. The farmer said high corn prices influenced the decision to plow up the hay field early. The alfalfa field could have produced a good crop of hay, but the farmer decided to take advantage of high corn prices by increasing his corn acreage. Also influencing his decision was the fact that he already had enough hay fields to meet his hay customers' demand.
Commodities such as wheat, corn, and soybeans have increased steadily since the 2010 harvest.
An alfalfa field gets plowed under in order to make room for more corn acres in response to high prices for corn
High commodity prices influenced this Will County farmer to plow up an alfalfa field earlier than originally planned in order to increase corn acres on his farm
Will County farmers enjoyed warm and dry weather--along with soaring commodity prices-- while completing their 2010 harvest. In fact, it was so warm that corn kernels that fell out of wagons and combines germinated and grew, as seen in the pictures below:
The Will County Fair Beef Show is held every Saturday of the Will County Fair in Peotone, Illinois. Cattle breeders and livestock farmers from around the area bring their stock to compete for a chance to win a Grand Champion ribbon.
Here is the Grand Champion Steer Drive from the 2010 Will County Fair:
Here is some video of a vintage Farmall H raking hay in Will County, Illinois.
2010 was a challenging year for hay farmers in Will County. It rained through much of the month of June, thwarting efforts to get the hay crop in. The hay in this video is rather dusty from having been rained on a few times.
The Farmall H tractor in this picture has been in our family for decades. My grandpa bought it from the local hardware store in Manhattan, Illinois. Hard to think to a time when you could buy tractors from the downtown of your local, small town.
