Fresh Picked: Farm Life in the Spring

Amy Nelson is a fifth-generation farmer who grows soybeans and corn and raises cattle. She is an active member of CommonGround Iowa, the Scott County Farm Bureau Board and the Iowa Soybean Association. She lives near Davenport with her husband Randy and children Jakob and Courtney.

PLANTING AND CALVING SEASON BRING NEW BEGINNINGS TO IOWA’S COUNTRYSIDE

By Amy Nelson | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

Spring is full of expectations and changes, growth and fresh beginnings. I’m always excited to see snow melting, crocus flowers popping and landscapes starting to turn green.

It is also the time of year when I look forward to having babies join the farm family – baby calves, that is! Like humans, cows are pregnant for about nine months, and they can have a calf any time of year. On our farm, we try to coordinate calving season to begin in mid-March. I like this time of year because it is ahead of planting season and gives me the chance to watch the mamas and babies closely to ensure things go smoothly.

Most of our calves are born in the pasture because the weather is typically nice, and labor seems to go best when undisturbed. But we also have special pens (somewhat like a maternity ward) set up for emergencies, extreme weather or first-time moms. These are all conditions where a cow may need some extra TLC from me or a local veterinarian. In total honesty, calving makes for either the best or worst days on the farm. The best when a dangerous situation turns out with a healthy momma and baby. The worst when no matter how hard I have tried, the baby doesn’t make it. Each situation brings me to tears – tears of joy or tears of sadness.

Within about 30 days, most of the calves have arrived, which is perfect because we are rolling right into the beginning of corn and soybean planting season. Next to harvest, this is the busiest time of year because we want the crops planted in as short of a time window as possible because it impacts the timing of harvest.

Farmers rely on a variety of science-based research to determine when planting conditions are optimal. Fortunately, we do not have to rely on grandpa’s adage that “it is time to plant corn when leaves on the trees are the size of a mouse ear!”

The soil temperature is one indicator of when it’s time to plant. The magic number is 50 degrees F but we also need the ground to be dry enough so we aren’t getting stuck in the mud or compacting the ground so tightly that corn or soybeans can’t emerge through the crust. Plants have a better chance to thrive when the soil is aerated so it can breathe. We also need the seeds to have enough moisture in the soil to begin the germination process and start growing as quickly as possible. I use a lot of math during planting season. Here’s an example I give my kids when they ask why they need to study math:

Farmer Amy wants to plant a population of 32,000 kernels of corn per acre. Seed comes in bags of 80,000 seeds per bag. Her field is 40 acres large. How many bags of seed does Farmer Amy need to purchase to plant this field?

This is assuming Farmer Amy has calibrated her planter, done maintenance over the winter, adjusted the planter depth and down pressure to accommodate for the soil residue and composition of each field, and even checked the tire pressure on the tractor. Believe it or not, each of these factors can impact how many kernels per acre are planted.

In our downtime this spring, I’m hoping I can get my kids to fly kites in the pasture like when they were little. I’m looking forward to the joys the season will bring.

For those of you still working on the math problem, the answer is 16 bags of seed!

Amy Nelson is a fifth-generation farmer who grows soybeans and corn and raises cattle. She is an active member of CommonGround Iowa, the Scott County Farm Bureau Board and the Iowa Soybean Association. She lives near Davenport with her husband Randy and children Jakob and Courtney.

To view the full spread, view this magazine in your internet browser on your phone, tablet or desktop. This story is funded by the soybean checkoff.