2020 Spring Farm Outlook

2020 Logan County Farm Outlook LINCOLN DAILY NEWS March 19, 2020 Page 15 result the farming industry grew in leaps and bounds during this time. Farming went from being merely a small local enterprise to an international mega-business. Steam engines were first used to provide power for farming tasks, but advances in steel and combustion allowed for larger plots to be tilled and larger crops to be harvested. Automated planters replaced hand and animal labor, and in time the combine replaced hand picking. The farm grew with and kept pace with the need for food and the rise of technology. Planting Corn and Soybeans https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=4GVp7uqEpJk Farming was one of the first industries to adopt and utilize computerization. As the scale of farming grew, the accounting side of farming became more and more complex. Farming was no longer an economy of guesswork (But we always did it this way!). The purchases of bigger and more expensive machines and implements with financing and credit meant that the farm needed to computerize its accounting. Skinny profits had to be carefully managed because inaccurate financial management meant failure, foreclosure and finally a farm sale. Computerized accounting on the farm with PCs and printers meant that the producer could keep close track of inputs and costs, present accurate financial data to the banker, and the result was that the farm could prosper and grow even during lean years. Accounting & Bookkeeping for Farmers https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=KscodvJP_Lo Mechanical devices and mechanization has allowed farmers to manage more acres and more livestock with less labor. The variety of machines and the tasks that have been automated is amazing. The resultant growth of scale has allowed this generation of farmers to keep pace with and feed the growing population of the world. Modern Farming Machines & Technology for amazing productivity https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vHCZAdZDHFA Climatologists say that the climate is always changing. The result is that sometimes areas that formerly got sufficient rainfall no longer get enough rain to support crops. Technology has produced efficient irrigation systems and equipment to deal with advancing drought and keep drought cropland in production. Center Pivot and Linear Irrigation Equipment for Farming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8- KJawYwrg Climate presents a continually moving target. This means that some cropland will receive an over-abundance of seasonal rain, causing serial-replanting and soil erosion. Technology has developed equipment for installing drain tiling under the field to move abundant rainfall away from the productivity zone, prevent ponding and control erosion. Continue 4