Learning from adversity: Farmer insights from a challenging season

XtremeAg farmers are managing both drought and excessive rain as the calendar turns to August.

Matt Miles - McGehee, Arkansas

Matt Miles is a fourth-generation farmer in southeast Arkansas. Miles farms 3,500 acres of corn, 3,500 acres of soybeans, 1,500 acres of cotton, and 1,500 acres of rice.

For three years, we have been pushing the planting date on ultra early soybeans. 2022 was a great success, 2023 was a flop. So going into 2024, I had already decided if it was unsuccessful the test would be abandoned. On July 22 we harvested 49 acres of soybeans. To date, this will be the biggest success of all three years with a yield of 87 bushels per acre (bpa). The day before, I would have sold them to anyone for 70 bpa.

Seed size was the determining factor that pushed these little, short soybeans to a respectable yield. As the combines were whacking them out, the planter was putting in a second soybean crop hopefully to be harvested by mid-November. We also have one more field with a later maturity that was planted in February also so we can figure out how much maturities matter when planted that early.

Since harvest, we have had six full days of clouds and showers, which isn’t good for anything. Our next field will be desiccated hopefully Monday. We will keep you up-to-date on the following second crop soybeans as time goes on.

Kevin Matthews - East Bend, North Carolina

Kevin Matthews and his wife, Cindy, are fourth-generation farmers in East Bend and Yadkinville, North Carolina. Matthews Family Farms, Deep Creek Grain, and Precision Nutrient Management farm corn, soybeans, wheat, and barley.

It is unreal how fast things can change. A week ago, I felt like many more acres would not be harvested, and the mental stress was at a level I’ve rarely seen. I really didn’t think some fields could take another hot, dry day. Then, Friday night, a few rains fall gave some relief. More rain within a few days caused the drought to be over and the floods came after 4 to 7 inches of rain. My goodness how the crops have turned around. Some are ugly — there is no doubt about that — but we’ve got something to harvest now that the soybeans are looking good. 

The rain was perfect for the later planted corn. With the rain going into the late third and fourth quarter we have grain to protect and build weight into. The sprayers are running and the weeds have responded just like the corn and soybeans. Fungicides and foliar fertilizer are being applied.

I got the opportunity to step away from the farm and attend AgPhD in South Dakota. It was a blast and I am thankful for everyone I got to meet and speak with. Our next big event is the XtremeAg Field Day on my farm featuring AgroLiquid, Nachurs, Pioneer Z series trials corn varieties plots, and variety fertility responses. There will also be John Deere equipment and staff to get us ready for harvest.

Temple Rhodes - Centreville, Maryland

Temple Rhodes is a fifth-generation farmer in Centreville, Maryland. Chestnut Manor Farms operates 3,000 acres of soybeans, 1,500 acres of corn, and 1,500 acres of wheat. His family also runs a hunting operation.

The rains have finally relieved some of the pressure from the area. Early April corn is too far gone to help at this point. Late May corn actually has a chance to make it. Later planted corn has pollinated now and should not be as bad as early planted corn. Pollination on early planted corn is really bad due to the drought and heat. 

Early beans are at R4 and they look like they aborted a lot of pods during the dry and hot period. It is a below-average crop, but at least there is a crop. About 30% of double crop soybeans were planted over due to planting in dry conditions. There was just enough moisture to swell them, and then they died. Once we had a few small rains, the double crop beans came on, and they look better at the moment, but they have a lot of catching up to do.

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