I finished the 2008 fall harvest on a bright Saturday afternoon, a feat that puts a smile on my face every year but in particular this one. Took Mrs. KF out to one of our favorite places to celebrate and ran into a distant neighbor, we both agreed that from start to finish, 2008 has tested us like no year we can remember.
The crop was above average, but then you have to figure the 60 acres that either didn't get planted, or were planted to haygrazer rather than corn or soybeans and that knocks the yield average a bit. The price was not as good as I had hoped, but with contracts coupled with spot bid soybeans I averaged $9.02 per bushel, the highest average ever by far other than last year, that was very similar at around $9.10. The big downer is the 5000 bushels of corn I stored because of the illusion I was under (fed by the "experts") that corn had alot of upward potential. Could have gotten $3.75 spot when most of it went into storage, now maybe $3 and it seems it could be destined for $2.50 or less. However,I am not going to fret over what to do with the corn at this point. The outside plan may be simply to hold it and use it for feed in 2010, planting less acres of the costly stuff next spring, when I suspect cash will be in short supply anyway, along with credit.
Thoughts now turn to livestock matters, I don't know how many days it will take to get that end of it caught up. As I roam about the farm feeding cattle and hogs I have plenty of time to think about next year, I can't say I am not a little more worried than usual. I attended my favorite bull sale yesterday as well as harvesting, managed to get there and back and buy a bull in about 2 and a half hours, for $4250.00. Got to spend my evening meal justifying that to Mrs. KF. The bull sale showed some weakness, but not as much as I thought....we in production agriculture in truth are a very optimistic lot, because no matter how challenging this year was, we all know in our hearts next year is bound to be better, and if it isn't, well, there is always the next year......