What a dissapointment

Finished the spring wheat. Only went about 33 bpa. Think this may have been the last year I raise wheat. Always raised about 20 acres. Figured with The gain in next years corn crop and selling the straw I came out about the same as row crops but with such a low yield and corn at $7.00 I can't afford to raise wheat anymore. Spent years building up a market for my straw and hate to loose that but just to much difference. Oh and I got a sour taste in my mouth after marketing last years wheat. It was rejected at the mill for being to good a quality. Sounds strange don't that? But every year it is something else. Protein to low, test weight to low, last year protein to high I tell you, you can't win. And then the local mill won't take it if I haul it in on a 600 bushel gravity wagon. Has to be a semi. Even if you only bring in 50 bushels they will take it if on a semi but not 600 on a wagon. And it is kinda a commotion to take the conditioner off the swather and change the combine over just for 20 acres of wheat. I'm getting to old for all the aggravation and then only make half as much as I would have raising corn.

Stuff here is starting to grow again.....Fields that were almost ready because it was so dry kicked back in with the lot of rain we are getting now. I don't understand it all but the farmers sure are cranky.....

Wife and i raise u-pick / we-pick blueberries. One year we took a lot of time off, bought a trailer, bought the little pint clam-shells, bought the cardboard carriers, hired pickers and picked and culled and stored blueberries all through the house. Had the A/C on extreme cold. We picked perfect blueberries, and got 'em all packed and hauled to the Arkansas co-op. The USDA inspector looked them over, said "George, come over here." and got me off to one side. Said "I'll take these this time, but don't ever bring perfect berries to me again. By the time they get to California, they'll be leaking juice and moldy. Bring me part-green part-red berries."
Time it was all said and done, we got 10-cents for each clam-shell. Never again.

Have you thought about buying straw to resell? Take what you paid for it, add the freight and a dollar a bale to it.

Forgot to add. Another good thing coming from the wheat this year is the neighbor 5 miles down the road called to ask if he could haul 3 loads of hog manure on the stubble. His pits are full and no other wheat for 25 miles. Needs to take 3 loads out to make it to bean harvest. But that is only this year and I can't count on that again. I know he does not want anything for manure, he is just happy to get rid of it, but should I take him a 12 pack?

(quoted from post at 14:29:44 08/06/11) Forgot to add. Another good thing coming from the wheat this year is the neighbor 5 miles down the road called to ask if he could haul 3 loads of hog manure on the stubble. His pits are full and no other wheat for 25 miles. Needs to take 3 loads out to make it to bean harvest. But that is only this year and I can't count on that again. I know he does not want anything for manure, he is just happy to get rid of it, but should I take him a 12 pack?

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LOL better make it a case!

Rick

(quoted from post at 14:29:44 08/06/11) Forgot to add. Another good thing coming from the wheat this year is the neighbor 5 miles down the road called to ask if he could haul 3 loads of hog manure on the stubble. His pits are full and no other wheat for 25 miles. Needs to take 3 loads out to make it to bean harvest. But that is only this year and I can't count on that again. I know he does not want anything for manure, he is just happy to get rid of it, but should I take him a 12 pack?

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I wouldn't worry about it, we've been doing the same with our manure and we're glad to be rid of it, keeps the manure below the slats and us happy.

(quoted from post at 14:29:44 08/06/11) Forgot to add. Another good thing coming from the wheat this year is the neighbor 5 miles down the road called to ask if he could haul 3 loads of hog manure on the stubble. His pits are full and no other wheat for 25 miles. Needs to take 3 loads out to make it to bean harvest. But that is only this year and I can't count on that again. I know he does not want anything for manure, he is just happy to get rid of it, but should I take him a 12 pack?

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I wouldn't worry about it, we've been doing the same with our manure and we're glad to be rid of it, keeps the manure below the slats and us happy.

Ever think of putting in rye in the fall? Cut it early (earlier than you will do hay) then plant corn/beans behind. That is done around here. It makes a nice long straw that the horse crowd seems to prefer! May not work everywhere, we are in SE PA

Guess I don't get it. Why would wheat only yield 33 bu if its good enough ground and enough moisture to grow corn?

My frame of reference is eastern Washington- good soil (would grow anything), but wheat yields go from 25 to 100 bu., depending on moisture. But even the 100 bushel area doesn't have enough moisture to grow corn without irrigation.

I have never understood it! If it weren't for the farmers, the nation wouldn't eat! Yet, the ba----ds obviously lie awake at night trying to figure a way to keep from paying a decent price for the goods that some farmer has worked his butt off to produce!

Summer heat & humidity. Corn loves it, wheat don't.

Wheat doesn't pay in corn country unless you have an angle - good straw market, free manure to be spread in mid summer, etc.

--->Paul

ShadetreeRet: I think you missed flying belgian"s point. He problem is low yield. The price for wheat is at higher than normal prices. You could have very easily locked in $7.50 plus prices in the last year or so. Current cash bid is $6.80.

The weather has been an issue for wheat this year. Some places it was too wet and the yield was down and many others where too dry. All the small grains around here, North-east Iowa, have not had real good yields this year. Too much rain and heat for good oats, rye, or wheat.

Makes sense. Eastern Wa is often hot, but almost never humid.

City folks wouldn't know a good berry or piece of fruit if it hit them.
If ripened and fit to eat they would think it was past it's 'expiration date' and throw it away.