This week, the National Corn Growers Association kicked off its eighth 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.
This week, Field Notes caught up with Lowell Neitzel, who farms just outside of Lawrence, Kansas. With his corn acres planted and only about 1,000 acres of soybeans left to go, his planting season has gone well so far this year despite sporadic issues with the weather.
“We started out in April with cold weather and kind of drug our feet getting going,” he explained. “But, we finally decided that we should start planting, or we would never get done. Then, the cold sort of turned off, and it got warm. We have gotten a couple of timely showers, and we were able to finish up corn planting.
“Now, we have drier conditions and wish that we could catch some rain. Last weekend, when we got eight-tenths of an inch of rain, things popped. Now, we would like to see another shower, but it always seems like we get one over Memorial Day weekend.”
To listen to the full interview, click here.
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.
COVID-19 Resources
NCGA is taking a series of actions to do our part to help contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the economic fallout it is creating for corn farmers and our customers. Short term, this means instituting policies to protect the health and safety of our stakeholders and the broader communities we serve. Long term, we’re focused on creating solutions to help corn farmers and our customers recover from the financial impacts of this crisis.
CommonGround
CommonGround is a group of farmers connecting with consumers through conversations about science and research and personal stories about food and misinformation surrounding farming. Supported by the NCGA and state corn organizations.
SHP
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health. Administered by NCGA the partnership has more than 220 working farms enrolled in 16 states. SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm.
