Between the Rows Archive

Derek Niese – Putnam County

There are quite a few operations cutting beans around me, and a handful of guys are already running corn. From what I’m hearing, yields sound pretty respectable so far. We haven’t run any corn or beans yet because we’re still trying to finish up with tomato harvest. We’ve got about a week left to go there. For us, we could probably start cutting beans by the end of this week, just going by how the leaves are falling and how they’re turning.

As harvest approaches, I’ve been checking a lot of our corn fields, and I did not see any mold or anything growing on the ends of the ears. I’ve seen pictures from supposedly around my area that looked pretty ugly, including some ears where the kernels were sprouting, but I have not seen that in any of our fields. We did apply fungicide, although kernels sprouting would have nothing to do with that application.… Continue reading

Derek Niese – Putnam County

Things are going well here, other than we could use a little less rain right now. We’ve been fighting mud while harvesting tomatoes, and at the moment we’re not harvesting because of the rain. Up until now it had been fairly dry, and tomato harvest has been going decently. Yield-wise, tomatoes are really not much different from last year, which is somewhat surprising considering we’ve had more rain this season.

Across the way, corn and soybeans are all turning, and I’m seeing some late tar spot moving into a lot of corn fields. Most of the fields I’ve looked at have some presence of it. I think it’s late enough in the game that many fields won’t see much impact, but there are some earlier fields where it will probably hurt yields a little bit.

As for our operation, we won’t start harvesting corn or soybeans until tomatoes are finished.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Looking back on 2025, I would describe it as a year of push and pull. All season long, it felt like we were waiting for the rain to stop so we could get work done, and then hoping it would come back so the crop could keep going. Nothing about the year felt normal, and we haven’t had a normal spring, summer, or fall in a long time. Even so, we were really blessed in this part of the state. Corn yields were strong, with most people pleased and many whole-farm averages above 200. Some neighbors even hit 220 to 250. Early-planted soybeans were excellent, too.

One of the biggest surprises was that tar spot didn’t hit nearly as hard as I expected. Last year, it caused real problems, and this year, it just wasn’t that bad. The financial side of things was difficult, though. High inputs and low prices were a challenge from start to finish.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

The last few weeks have gone really well in our area. Most everyone is either wrapped up or right at the finish line. We’ve seen a lot of corn come off and quite a few double-crop beans run as well. I haven’t heard many yield reports yet on those double-crops, but overall, people seem pretty pleased. We’ve also had some rain, and there’s more in the forecast, so we’re hoping everyone can finish before that turns to snow early next week.

Corn yields across southwest Ohio have been strong. It’s not unusual to hear averages above 200 bushels per acre, and some farms have hit 220 to 250. Soybeans have also performed really well, especially the early-planted fields. I think that’s been the biggest takeaway this year. Don’t be afraid to plant early. Even when conditions look questionable, those early beans have consistently shown great results.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

We’ve gotten pretty far along with crops. The majority of our soybeans are off. There are still some double-crop soybeans lingering out there, maybe even some regular-season beans, but if there are, it’s very minimal.

We are progressing through corn really quickly as well. Things have slowed down a bit with the moisture we’ve had with the weather changes, so it’s getting tougher in the evenings to keep going late, and then of course, you have the dew in the morning, so we have to wait on that. The actual moisture of the corn itself, though, especially on anything that was  planted earlier, is coming out of the field nice and dry.

I haven’t seen much fall tillage yet, but I have seen some fall fertilizer being spread. Wheat is planted and emerged; it’s still short, but the stands look really good.

Yields on corn have been average to above average.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Things in southwest Ohio have been moving quickly the past few weeks. A lot of soybeans have come off, and we’re just a day or two away from wrapping up soybean harvest on our farm before switching to corn. I’d estimate soybeans are about 70% to 75% harvested across the region. Corn is further behind, probably around 20% complete, but progress really depends on planting date. Moisture was a little high early on, but the dry weather in October has helped bring that down.

Soybean yields have been pretty solid, with reports ranging anywhere from the mid-50s up to 80 bushels per acre. I haven’t heard much about corn yields yet, but no major complaints so far. We did get a few inches of rain last Monday, which slowed things for a couple of days but was much needed. That moisture paused some wheat planting, but many fields are already up and looking good.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Harvest has started for a good share of folks here in southwest Ohio. A lot of the earlier soybeans are already being cut, and I’d say more beans have been run than corn at this point. Moisture levels on soybeans are really low. I’ve heard anywhere from 9% to 11% on the earlier varieties. Later-planted beans are still full and green, not quite ready yet.

Corn is following the same pattern. The earlier hybrids in the 100- to 107-day range that were planted early are drying down nicely, and some of that has been harvested. Corn that was planted in early May with longer maturity, in that 112- to 114-days range, is still pretty wet, and anything planted late May is still green but moving along with this dry spell.

We could really use some rain. Fields are so dry that the fire risk is high, and it wouldn’t hurt to see a tick of moisture to take the edge off.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

We are just at the start of harvest here in southwest Ohio. Nothing has really kicked off in full force yet, but you can see combines being pulled out and fields being opened up. I think we’re still at least a week away from heavy activity, but soybeans are starting to turn, corn is firing, and ears are beginning to drop. The later-planted crops are still green, but they’re beginning to shift as well.

Rainfall has been limited. We picked up maybe four-tenths to a half inch last week, but it was very hit or miss across the area. Outside of that, we really haven’t had much. That lack of late-season moisture is a big reason why beans are changing so quickly right now.

On the disease side, I haven’t noticed anything new. We talked earlier this fall about some rust moving in, and there are the typical lesions you expect to see, but nothing major or yield-limiting.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Southwest Ohio crops are continuing to move along, and we’re starting to see some real changes in both corn and soybeans. The dry weather has been catching up with us, and at this point, a good rain would go a long way in helping the soybeans finish strong. I’ve also noticed some cover crops being planted where wheat ground wasn’t put into beans this year.

Fungicide applications are wrapped up across the area, and most fields are looking clean. We’ll probably start seeing some early harvest attempts around mid-September, which is pretty typical for our region. Some of the earlier-planted or shorter-maturity corn may get opened up first to check moisture levels. Right now, I’m beginning to notice some corn firing and soybeans starting to turn, which tells me harvest isn’t far off.

As far as disease pressure, southern rust has started to show up, but so far, tar spot hasn’t been nearly as widespread as last year.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Things in my area have stayed consistent since the last update. Fungicide applications are still going on, particularly in corn, and I’ve noticed a little more of that work happening in the past couple of weeks. Overall, disease pressure has been light. Tar spot is out there, but it doesn’t seem to be as aggressive as it was last year, and the corn looks pretty clean. We’ve seen some issues with tassel wrap and a little bit of green snap from plants leaning over, but nothing widespread.

The earlier-planted corn looks excellent, and the later-planted fields are catching up well. Soybeans are coming along nicely, and there haven’t been any major insect or disease problems to speak of. It’s been smooth sailing, which is something I’m grateful for compared to past years. I’ve also noticed more drone activity for fungicide applications this year, which is interesting to see gaining traction.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Everything in southwest Ohio is looking pretty good right now. We’ve been getting a steady amount of rainfall, and although things were starting to dry out a bit, the recent moisture has helped keep everything green and growing well. Corn and soybeans are holding strong, and fungicide applications have been going out steadily over the last few weeks. That will likely continue through brown silk stages, depending on each farm’s timing.

We are starting to see a little disease pressure show up and some typical insect feeding on soybeans, mostly minor leaf damage that’s expected for this time of year. One odd thing that’s popped up is a condition in corn called tassel wrap. It seems to delay pollen shed by keeping the tassel wrapped in the upper leaves, which could affect pollination. We’re keeping an eye on it to see how widespread it might become.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

All in all, crops look pretty good in Southwest Ohio. We continue to get rain here and there, which has been helpful. We are still a little dry.

Corn is getting further along. We have some tasseling going on and fungicide being applied. The soybeans are flowering and in their reproductive stages. The later-planted corn down here’s not quite at the tassel stage yet, but it’s coming along and looks pretty good.

I know there have been pockets of tar spot in our area and they have found it in Preble County. We had it last year as well, so the guys are out looking at their fields, either applying fungicide to be preventative or trying to mitigate the issue if they had it last year by applying a treatment.

Wheat harvest is all wrapped up down here. We had our very traditional Fourth of July wheat harvest in Southwest Ohio.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

The crop is starting to look really good. We are beginning to see everything that was planted early take off. The corn has received a pass of nitrogen and is looking good.

Wheat is really starting to turn, and I would say we are on track for the traditional wheat harvest time around the 4th of July. We are anticipating good yields, and I am excited to see how that turns out.

We had a storm come through Southern Ohio last Wednesday, and some of the corn was really leaning. In Preble County, we were pretty fortunate. We had a little bit of wheat blown down, but all in all, nothing too significant as far as crop damage goes.

If we get rid of some of this excess moisture in the fields, we should have sidedressing and spraying done in the next week or two.

As an agricultural lender, from the banking side, I have been advising my customers to ensure they know where their bottom line is this year and to continue looking for opportunities to lock in forward pricing, possibly to protect against downside risks.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

The past two weeks have brought solid progress across southwest Ohio, and I’d say most of the area is planted at this point—just a few outliers are still finishing up. We’ve seen a mix of activity lately, ranging from wrapping up planting and spot planting to applying nitrogen and post-spraying. Everybody’s staying busy, dodging rain here and there.

We experienced some rain a few days ago, with totals ranging from a half-inch to two inches, depending on the location. It’s actually raining again this morning, but overall, the crops are coming out of the ground. We had a few emergence issues in this part of the state, mostly due to those cooler, wet conditions, but most of that’s been addressed now with some spot planting or replanting where needed.

As for pests and diseases, I haven’t seen much yet. There’s been a little bit of slug damage here and there, but I think we’re mostly past that phase.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

Southwest Ohio has been on the wet side lately. It seems like we get three good days in the field, then more rain sets in. That pattern has made it challenging, but most farmers in our area have gotten a good start on planting, and some are even finished. On our farm, my dad and brother have been hammering down and putting in long hours. If the weather holds, we should be wrapped up soon, too.

There’s still some tillage ahead of planting, especially for those using conventional systems, and we’re seeing post-emergence spraying and side dressing pick up as well. Overall, fieldwork is moving along when the weather allows.

The wheat in our area looks really good. When we got that rain followed by some sunshine, things kind of took off. I’m a little more concerned about soybeans. The cool, wet conditions aren’t ideal for them, especially early on.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

We caught a heavy shower that kind of put things to a halt. We had significant rainfall for about seven days straight a week ago or so.

I think if there is going to be any emergence issues, we should see that in the next few days, just knowing the timing of that rain event and when everybody was planting. I saw a few folks get out rotary hoes, so that’s always a question of if we need to break that soil up a bit from the rain compaction, but I haven’t seen many actually running yet.

The wheat looks great. It’s coming along nicely this spring with the warmer temperatures and significant moisture. I think we are going to see it really take off here in the next 7 to 14 days.

We have some nice weather ahead of us with some possible rain showers throughout the week, but the sunshine is really going to help as far as getting back in the field.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

“Things are going well despite some weather-related challenges. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve had about 2.9 inches of rain, most of which came from an early April storm. A fair amount of fertilizer and anhydrous is being applied to wrap up some fertilizer needs. We’ve got winter annuals and perennials that are starting to take off due to the warmer weather and rainfall that we’ve gotten. Spring burndown is being applied to address some of those issues. Some rates have been adjusted to address how quick things have been greening up. We’ve been dealing with rain every four to five days that put things on pause, and some winds have impacted spraying.

Despite that, last week was really busy. We had guys wrapping up spraying and planters in the fields. We have been able to start planting on our farm. My brother got soybeans in the ground last week.… Continue reading

Jade Newton – Preble County

“Our farm in Eaton, Ohio, raises corn, soybeans, and hogs. I work full-time for First Financial Bank as a relationship manager in agribusiness, but I try to stay involved on the farm as much as possible.

2024 started with optimism, but yields lagged in parts of Southwest Ohio. Tar spot was a factor. Some farms had great yields, and right across the road, others were 40 bushels down. The difference came down to fungicide—those who used one or even two passes saw better results.

Late in the season, straight-line winds took down a lot of crops. Soybeans struggled early from dryness, then cracked and shattered when the moisture came back. Driving through the county, it almost looked like a blanket of cover crops from the shattered beans.

For 2025, input costs and grain markets are a big concern. As a banker, I say focus on the bottom line and control costs.… Continue reading

Matt Spillman

The challenge in 2024 was getting enough water, but we had a really excellent year for what we were given. Our planting season started pretty early for us and that gave us a jump on things. The majority of the crop was planted in April or the first part of May. Then we had a 2-week spell of nothing but rain where 8 inches fell. That put us out for a while, but we continued on and got finished up there before Memorial Day.

Things were really looking good early on. Stands looked good for both corn and soybeans. We had slug issues in some soybeans but got through that without too much damage. We treated those with the Deadline pellets, and that really seemed to knock them back enough for the beans to get ahead.

We got a little dry there in June, but not terrible. We got a big rain around the Fourth of July with 4 inches that got us through most of July.… Continue reading

John Settlemyre

The yields were better than expected for the majority of our crops. The hurricane that came through really took a toll on a lot of the corn. I was helping a neighbor yesterday shelling corn. His yields were good, but they’re running the combines about 1.5 to 2 miles an hour instead of 4 miles an hour, so it’s just a long, drawn-out process. The moisture is 14% to 15% and they haven’t had any problems with quality. We had a little rain here over the weekend, so that’s going to delay getting back out into it to finish up. My neighbor has about 5 days to go, so I think the weather’s going to work out for him and he will get done here in the next 7 or 10 days, but it’s been a challenging fall.

We had about 700 acres of soybeans that had some seed coat damage and a lot of it was where we put some fungicide on.… Continue reading