Dear Neighbor,
A film crew from the Big Ten Network out of Chicago visited our farm this Wednesday and, despite the unseasonably cold and windy conditions, spent the better part of the afternoon filming the corn harvest and conducting an interview that will air during Big Ten basketball games this winter.
The topic was related to a project being worked on at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris that utilizes electricity produced by a wind turbine to separate nitrogen from the air and convert it into ammonia fertilizer. If the process can be fine-tuned and done on a commercial scale, it would allow nitrogen fertilizer, a key component in the production of corn, to be produced locally. That would lower transportation costs for the bulk commodity and give rural Minnesota another economic boost. It’s an exciting possibility, and the team at the University of Minnesota and the research station at Morris are to be commended for their work in this area. If we could utilize two very common components that are all around us, namely the wind which produces electricity for the process along with nitrogen from the air, it’s win-win situation. Nitrogen is a key factor in the production of corn, and currently most of it is produced a long ways from Minnesota, either in the Gulf region or overseas.
You’ve also probably heard in the news that the propane gas used to dry corn coming out of the field is in very short supply right now. Gov. Dayton yesterday signed an executive order giving certain drivers an exemption from the hours of operation rule for the next 14 days in order to help alleviate the shortage of LP. I’ve heard reports of truckers driving as far as Nebraska to secure loads, and if they sit in line for many hours before loading, the exemption signed by the governor will allow them to return quicker in order to help meet the demand for gas during the harvest season.
This growing season certainly has held its share of challenges for farmers, and the cold and wet conditions during harvest have just been one more challenge. Corn combining has ramped up again, but soybeans remaining in the field are still not dry enough to harvest. The next few days should allow for good harvesting conditions, with the next rain (snow?) system due in Minnesota on Tuesday of next week. Be safe in the field, and if you are traveling, watch for large, slow-moving harvest equipment on our rural roads.
Sincerely,
Paul