Noland Farms Inc.Noland Farms Inc.

Little red grain truck

 Great weather has continued to be a theme, and we have taken advantage with outdoor activities.  Our little red grain truck has been transformed into the starter fertilizer nurse truck for spring, which involves inserting a 1,600 gallon tank, pump and hose system into the back of the truck.  We store the nurse system on an old rack wagon tucked in the corner of a shed through the

starter fertilizer nurse system... out of storage

winter.  We will begin shuffling equipment out of the shed tommorrow to prepare for seed delivery.  We anticipate our first delivery next week.  The decision to take delivery of all our seed prior to planting has paid dividends the past 3 years.  The flexibility has been key with the weather’s unpredictability. 

Finished product... field ready!

  We also tackled a grain bin project last week.  The bin (one we use for drying corn) has a liner on the inside which allows air to flow between the bin wall and grain.  To ensure that the air flow isn’t restricted for fall 2012, we removed the liner and cleaned between it and the wall.  We also took up the bin’s floor and cleaned out any ground-up corn that had sifted through the aeration gaps in the floor.  The bin floor sits 17″ higher than the concrete to allow air to move up through the grain in the bin.  We are also installing a 3rd centrifical fan to the bin for additional drying capacity.  Generally, this bin will dry corn from 25-17% moisture.  We have booked a portion of our LP needs for fall drying, and we hope our “spring cleaning” will allow for more efficient use of the propane!

Scaffolding erected inside a bin to remove the liner

  Dennis is currently in the shop conducting ”pre-plant” maintanence on the corn planter, but took a break to attend the Farm Machinery Show in Louisville over the weekend.  We have ordered tanks for our starter fertilizer and bulk fuel projects… currently lining out details prior to delivery. 

Exciting time on the farm… Spring is just around the corner!

Concrete forms for new centrifical fan on grain bin

Final product

Sweeping corn bin

The last two weeks have provided great weather for delivering corn.  We anticipate finishing up this round of corn hauling next week, then hope to haul some rock to driveways and bin sites.  Heavy equipment and the seasons have ground down some of the rock, and hauling in new has become an annual event.  Some of the spring equipment has been moved into the shop… Spring is just around the corner! 

Scooping corn

  Farm activity is back in full swing!  The Noland family rang in 2012 by celebrating Blake and Kristin’s marriage in Pasadena, CA.  Leaving 75 degree and sunny weather for hauling corn in central Illinois’ frigid icebox was a little difficult, but the truck lines remain short at ADM’s corn processing plant.  I spent Jan 7-14th in Austin, Texas, particpating in the final year of The Executive Program

Logan working the food drive

 for Ag Producers.  The two-year program allows producers to improve their managment skills and broaden their network of peers across the country.  The program http://tepap.tamu.edu/  is administered by Texas A&M… I’ve also included the topics covered this year  http://tepap.tamu.edu/2012%20Unit%20II%20schedule.pdf  . 

Grant greeting shoppers.

  Logan and I also had the opportunity to participate in a “restock the local food pantries” event at Kroger in Decatur.  Organized by Big Brothers and Big Sisters, volunteers   Altogether, the three locations collected over 1,870 food items and around $220 in monetary donations.

Trucks in line waiting to unload.

Since my update earlier this month, we have continued hauling corn to ADM’s processing plant in Decatur.  The lack of truck traffic has allowed us to move corn at a “record pace,” and we are entering 2012 well ahead of schedule.  Last year, we experienced 3 hour waiting periods to unload a truck, and currently the “wait time” is around an hour.  With the ability to dump 60-70 semi’s per hour, the processing plant can receive a lot of corn in one day.  I’ve include a picture of semi’s parked waiting to be unloaded.  I’m still amazed that the weather has been unseasonably warm, and we have yet to experience the snow and ice that usually accompanies winter!

Blake backing semi under the loadout at Cribbet's grain system.

  All of the 28% liquid fertilizer has been delivered, and we are excited to have product in our tanks.  As the first truck was unloading solution, Dennis convinced the driver to pose for a picture beside his truck… odds are he thought we were crazy, but he played along!  Most of the 28% will be broadcast pre-plant this spring, but around 1/4 will be applied

Hoses running from each tank... then to the pump.

post-plant in a sidedress application.  I’m unsure when our new 24-row liquid applicator will arrive, but our fertilizer dealer said that they are unable to place any new orders for 2012… sold out until ’13.  Glad we ordered ours during the fall!   I’ve included a few pictures of the pump and hoses running between the tanks.    

Pump

Unloading 28%.

Tile machine in action

I’ve included a few pictures from our Christian County tile project… a joint project completed on a landlord and one of our farms.  Tile is a great investment, and we are excited that Ruot Contracting was able to finish the project before the weather turned less favorable.  We have hauled a portion of our Asgrow seedbean contract and are currently delivering corn to ADM in Decatur.  With rain in the forecast for later in the week, we plan to resume spraying a fall burndown on corn stalks tomorrow.

Tile machine II

Tile being strung out across the field

Neil discussing the project with Denny Ruot.

  The weather over the past week provided an excellent opportunity to work on land improvement projects.  We have been

Tile lines on the Allen farm.

 rebuilding a waterway on the Mitchell farm outside Lovington and repairing tile holes from the large volumes of spring rain.  The tile project on the Allen farm near Farmersville has been completed, and we are still “a few weeks out” on the installation of new tile system on the May farm outside Blue Mound.  The crane arrived yesterday, and the liquid fertilizer tanks were

Grant digging to locate damaged tile.

 moved into the containment.  With the help of a lift provided by Trimble Construction, we assisted the crane operator by attaching/unattaching his hooks to the top of

Blake repairing broken clay tile with new plastic.

each tank.  After the tanks were set, we installed the sight hoses along the outside…. when filled with product, this will allow us to know the amount of fertilizer in each tank. 

Trucks arriving with the tanks.

Dennis raising the lift to attach cables to the tank.

Dennis and Craig installing the exterior sight hose.

Tanks in containment

  In reviewing photos for our upcoming newsletter, I looked back at those taken in May and June.  Although I have mentioned that theweather change (wet to dry) was substantial, the photos truly capture the contrast.

Spring flooding

Soybeans dead over pipeline

Fall cracks in soil

  Corn harvest for Noland Farms concluded yesterday, October 12th!  Although we still have 5 acres of replant soybeans yet to cut, I’m proclaiming that we are done!  Current activities… working ground that will be planted back into corn, ordering fitting and valves to “plumb” the liquid fertilizer containment and hauling lime.  We will begin repairing tile holes and waterways next week.  I’ve attached a recent picture of the containment… the tanks still haven’t arrived, but we’ve been busy!  We hope to have to tanks here within a week.

  I also wanted to include a picture of the recently-painted Macon County 4-H weigh wagon.  Duane is on the board for the 4-H Foundation, and he spent a few days last week pulling the wagon throughout the countryside.  Farmers have the opportunity to dump grain into the wagon, and the local elevator handles the paperwork.  The repsonse from local farmers was great, and although the wagon is traveling throughout northern Macon County now, the money raised thus far has been beyond expectations!

Cindy Ervin & Debbie Berry with the 4-H wagon outside the elevator.

The link below will display a recent article on Noland Farms in the Herald and Review newspaper…

http://www.herald-review.com/lifestyles/family/article_f113bf64-ee06-11e0-8d25-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story

We are currently 85% done harvesting corn & switched to soybeans on October 1st.  Almost all the nongmo soybeans have been harvested, and we anticipate starting on the Asgrow seed beans directly afterwards. 

  The tanks for the liquid fertilizer storage should arrive the first week of October.  The crane is schedule to set the tanks in the containment on the 10th.  We hope to complete the plumbing and take delivery of product soon afterwards.