2019 fall farm

2019 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine Lincoln Daily News Nov. 1, 2019 Page 5 However, there is always room for some specialty or alternative crops on limited acreage. Pumpkins for decoration or processing are not new, but acreage continues to expand in Logan County. Logan County is traditionally in the top counties for pumpkin production, and Illinois is the top state for production due to the location of the Nestle/Libby pumpkin processing plant in Morton. Another opportunity is industrial hemp. Several varieties exist with specific uses including fiber, grain, and CBD oil. Growers applying for a permit even have to declare what varieties they are intending to grow. Industrial hemp will present a steep learning curve for those who wish to give it a whirl as WWII was the last era of widespread production in central Illinois. Many have compared its production to growing tobacco with some rather intensive labor requirements. Producers and entrepreneurs continue to look at fruit production, specialty livestock, honey production, and organic production. All these enterprises require some market development as mainstream markets remain limited in our area of the country. The demand side of the equation continues to grow for locally grown items. With harvest continuing, yields have been anywhere from a major disappointment to surprising. While they may be better than expected over all, they still remain 10 to 20 percent off of last year’s lofty numbers. Prices offered for corn and soybeans have trended up some, but the trade situation is still weighing on the markets. One of the major problems with this year’s farming season, outside of the rain this spring, was the fact little to no fall work was accomplished last year. Once again, this was due to wet conditions. When looking at the recently released 90 day outlook from the National Weather Service, this fall looks like above average precipitation and no defined trend for temperatures (equal chances of above average, normal, and below average). Is the climate changing? Most would say yes. The debate really begins when the discussion falls into the differing opinions and science on what is happening, why it is happening, and what might be done about Continue 8