06.07 - The Seedsman
The "Boogieman Showed Up"
We had a great start to our corn crop this spring, probably as good as we’ve had in years. Then suddenly the "boogieman" showed up. That’s right, Ole, Mr. Frost as the boogieman. At AgVenture, we call the Boogieman anything that unexpectedly interferes with our day, our wee, our month, our year, or our life. When you’re in farming and in the seed business like us, the Boogieman is most often the weather. You never know when the weather will turn on you (when the Boogieman might come), you never know how unforgiving the weather will be (how big the Boogieman will be), and you never know what effect the weather will have (how much damage the Boogieman will cause). But I guarantee, when you work in agriculture, a boogieman of some king will show up every year, sooner or later.
Even though none of us realized the frost or any kind of inclement weather was coming, we prepared every one of our customers just in case it did. We know from experience that there are certain things a grower can do to minimize the effects of certain weather issues, one being frost.
For example, All of our customers know how important it is to plant corn 2 inches deep. Anyone who was in a borderline frost area knows that too. Getting that seed deeper into the soil can mean added protection, as small as it may seem, from cold weather damage. Planting deeper into moisture also meant that the damaged seedling had a better chance of recovery because it was placed where it could access added nourishment. And, planting in proper conditions was so important because it allowed the seed and seedling to be given a blanket of soil around it for added protection.
Slower planting speeds insure all seeds are placed at the same depth. This reduces the possibility of damage, as opposed to seed that end up more shallow from the planter bouncing over the field.
We can’t keep the Boogieman away, but we can do things to reduce the amount of damage he causes when he comes. Many of the guidelines we at AgVenture give you may sound trivial, but they all have a place in producing a top crop.
Terry’s Corner
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our fantastic customers for their patience and cooperation during a very challenging spring. This past spring once again tested our ability to take care of our customers because so many things happened at once. And once the frost hit, we had our staff running in many different directions all at the same time. Thank you all for working with our staff as we took time to locate the right varieties to replant on your frosted fields. Even the fields that weren’t replanted are up and growing and looking like nothing ever happened. I would also like to thank every one of our employees who worked long, difficult hours to make sure that every phone call was handled and every request was taken care of, in a timely manner. I salute our entire staff here at AgVenture Dulaney Seed. Without their dedication we could not provide the kind of support you deserve. They met the incredible, unexpected challenges we faced and they did it with a smile and a great customer service attitude.
This was certainly a record year for AgVenture. We are on thousands of new acres for the first time and many more of our current customers are planting ALL of their acres to AgVenture Seed. These 100% buyers know that the best way to make sure you have the best possible genetic diversification on their farms is by buying and planting one brand of seed. It almost guarantees success.
Thank you again for planting our seed. We appreciate your business, but most all value your friendship.
Did You Know?
New VT™ Brand Products provide more consistent insect control and higher yield potential. VT™ is the name of Monsanto’s new, second-generation insect control technology. The first product for our region: AgVenture R9146VBW ⁄ 116 day hybrid.