VIDEO CROP STOP: Planting ahead of schedule

HAYTI, S.D. - Planting has felt slow this year because of wind, cold and recent rains, but the pace is actually ahead of schedule for much of Agweek country, according to government reports.
Dave Olsen of Hayti, S.D., is a fourth-generation farmer who farms with his two sons, Kelly and Shawn. They grow about 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans. They have a custom tiling business, and Shawn has a custom strip-till business.
Shawn planted corn into last year’s bean stubble that had been prepared in October with a strip-till system. Kelly was following with a sprayer, applying a “burn-down,” or pre-emergence herbicide mixture of Triple-Flex and Roundup.
“There are small weeds that have emerged already, and the pre-emerge alone won’t take those weeds down,” Dave says.
Earlier, the Olsens planted 700 acres of corn.
“The seed corn is going into nice moisture,” he says. “Hopefully we can get off to a good start here.”
The Olsens apply a band dry fertilizer about 6 to 7 inches deep and then use auto-steer to utilize the strips for a fertilizer “hot zone,” with no extra tillage. It’s a two-pass system that eliminates the chisel plow, field cultivation and fertilizer application.
“There is more management,” Dave says of the system. The farmer must make sure the row-cleaner is operating properly to make sure the strips are black enough to draw the heat, so the corn emerges quickly. “If it’s done correctly, it does work, and works well,” David says.
The residue on the top suppresses weeds, conserves moisture and, over time, increases organic matter in the soil. “We’ve been close to 100 percent strip-till for 10 to 12 years now,” Dave says. “We’re convinced strip till has helped raise our corn yields 10 to 15 percent, pretty easily.”
Dave says much of the land around the Hayti area is sandy, and less tillage on the “lighter” soil is an advantage to conserve moisture.
He estimates more than 25 percent of the land in the immediate area is using the technique - up to 50 percent in some in neighborhoods.
Once the rain comes and goes, the Olsens will plant corn and beans at the same time. They plant beans in 15-inch rows with an air drill.
Here are state-by-state summaries of crop and weather reports from the National Agricultural Statistics Service for the Agweek region, as of April 24.
South Dakota
There were 3.2 days of fieldwork in South Dakota, in a time with welcome rains. Topsoil moisture is 88 percent adequate to surplus. Subsoil is rated 84 percent adequate to surplus.
Winter wheat conditions are rated 72 percent good to excellent, with 23 percent jointed, which is well ahead of the 3 percent average for the date.
Other planting progress, compared to the five-year average: corn at 6 percent, compared to 7 percent average; spring wheat at 72 percent, compared to 45 percent average and 24 percent emerged; oats at 74 percent planted, compared to 78 percent average; barley at 41 percent, compared with 34 percent average, and 7 percent emerged.
Cattle and calve conditions are 88 percent good to excellent, with calving 77 percent complete, which is ahead of the 73 percent average. Stock water supplies are 86 percent adequate to surplus.
North Dakota
Moisture in North Dakota was largely welcomed, with northern counties receiving little to none, and southern areas receiving 1 to 2 inches, with 3.4 days suitable for field work.
Topsoil is rated 88 percent adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture is 83 percent adequate to surplus.
Winter wheat condition was rated 64 percent in good to excellent condition.
Planting rates and comparison to five-year averages were: durum wheat at 6 percent, compared to 9 percent average; spring wheat at 26 percent, compared to 18 percent average; barley at 19 percent, compared to 13 percent average; oats at 14 percent, compared to 2 percent average.
Corn was 6 percent planted, compared to 4 percent average; canola at 5 percent, compared to 3 percent average; flaxseed at 4 percent, compared to 1 percent average; dry peas at 15 percent, compared to 10 percent average; potatoes at 3 percent, compared to 5 percent average; sugar beets at 52 percent, compared to 26 percent average.
Cattle and calf conditions are ranked 88 percent good to excellent, with calving 71 percent complete, compared to the five-year average of 75 percent for the date. Stock water supplies are 89 percent adequate or surplus.
Minnesota
There were an average of 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork in Minnesota, but planting progress made gains against the five-year average for most crops.
Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels both were rated 88 percent adequate to surplus.
Planting completion percentages, compared to five-year averages for the date were: corn at 45 percent, compared to 11 percent average; barley at 32 percent planted, compared to 23 percent average, and 7 percent emerged; oats at 68 percent planted, compared to 32 percent average; potatoes at 27 percent planted, compared to 16 percent average; spring wheat at 46 percent planted, compared to 33 percent average; sugar beets at 73 percent planted, compared to 28 percent average.
Montana
Higher temperatures were accompanied by precipitation in Montana, led by 2.8 inches of moisture in some places, but an average of 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork. The temperature reached 86 degrees at Mizpah, Mont.
Barley, camelina, dry edible peas, oats and spring wheat have begun emerging.
Planting progress percentage, compared to five-year averages are: barley at 52 percent, compared to 35 percent average; camelina at 27 percent, compared to 13 percent average; canola at 17 percent, compared to 16 percent average; corn at 17 percent, compared to 2 percent average; dry edible beans at 61 percent, compared to 22 percent average; durum wheat at 32 percent, compared to 10 percent average; flaxseed at 40 percent, compared to 11 percent average; lentils at 39 percent, compared to 16 percent average; mustard at 25 percent, compared to 10 percent average; oats at 47 percent, compared to 18 percent average; safflower at 1 percent, compared to 9 percent average; spring wheat at 53 percent, compared to 24 percent average; sugar beets at 38 percent, compared to 25 percent average; winter wheat at 97 percent breaking dormancy, but no average listed.