Field Notes Talks Planting with Minnesota Farmer

This week, the National Corn Growers Association continued its seventh season of Field Notes, a series that takes readers behind the farm gate to follow the year in the life of American farm families. While these growers come from diverse geographic areas and run unique operations, they share a common love for U.S. agriculture and the basic values that underpin life in farming communities.

Tuesday, Field Notes checked in with Dan Erickson, who farms in Minnesota. Taking a moment to chat as he worked, Erickson reported that planting conditions have recently become more favorable.

“We have finally had a nice stretch of weather,” he explained. “Some in my area were out planting about two weeks ago, but then we had to sit it out for a week because of rain and cold temperatures. Now, things have started heating up for about a week. So, in my area, we are making good progress on their corn.”

With many farmers across parts of the Corn Belt impacted by unseasonable weather, Erickson remains positive about planting progress in Minnesota.

“We are just a hair behind normal,” he said. “We aren’t far behind normal, probably only a week or so. We have definitely had years where planting progressed earlier than it has this year but, all in all, these are not the worst planting season conditions that we have seen.”

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Stay tuned over the coming weeks as Field Notes follows the growers who have opened their farms, families and communities up this year and meet the true faces of modern American agriculture.