2019 fall farm

2019 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine Lincoln Daily News Nov. 1, 2019 Page 41 “I can actually make more money on pumpkins than I can corn and soybeans,” said Sahs. “The nice part about it is Libby’s furnishes the seed so there is actually no seed cost. And they also harvest the pumpkins. Once I get the pumpkins planted and all the fertilizer on and the field work done, that’s it, I am done.” The rest is up to Libby’s, who simply show up with a crew without notice and begin picking the fields clean. “Libby’s hauls it away. “They do everything,” said Sahs of the work in the fall. As far as preparing the field for the crop in the spring, Sahs is satisfied saying, “It’s no different than getting the ground ready for corn and soybeans. You have to fertilize it like you would corn and you have to work the ground and then you plant the ground. It’s really the same thing. You use the same planter that you plant corn with.” This year’s wet spring had little impact on the crop as well. “We were a little late getting the crop planted this year, I think about three weeks later than we did last year,” said Sahs. The dry summer did not hurt the pumpkins either. “Pumpkins don’t mind hot, dry weather. The same kind of conditions you like for soybeans, you like for pumpkins. Soybeans don’t like wet feet and pumpkins don’t either.” How does Sahs like growing pumpkins compared to other crops? That’s a good question and he answered honestly, with a smile. “The problem you have with pumpkins is there’s only one or two chemicals you can use to control weeds and weeds can be a problem, but when you get the check in the mail you forget about the weeds,” he grinned. “It’s just a neat process and it’s just another means of diversifying so you can help your bottom line and that’s what agriculture is about - affecting your bottom line,” concluded Sahs. The end result for the consumer is one that is most delicious, especially around Thanksgiving. After the pumpkins leave the field, Libby’s takes care of the rest and everybody gets to enjoy pumpkin pie for the holidays. So the next time you grab that can of Libby’s off the shelf, the chances are really good that you are supporting a local farmer and quite possibly that farmer is Bill Sahs. Libby’s Pumpkin Pie The number one canned puree pumpkin https://libbyspumpkinpie.com/libbys- pumpkin-story/