After several days of sunshine I can finally see our winter wheat fields for the first time since January 7th! As you can see from the picture below it is stooled (bushed) out nicely and still has good color.
Typically wheat is not a crop that we plant on our farm to produce a profit but for a crop rotation, which helps us keep the soils healthy. This year however, due to a global shortage of wheat over the past year the price has pushed the price of wheat up about 40% over the past year.
In past years I would find myself questioning if it was justifiable to spend extra money and
time on fungicides or additional fertilizers to increase yields. This increase in price no longer has me asking the question of if, but when should I apply fertilizers and fungicides to maximize the potential of my wheat crop! As the wheat begins to grow in late March I will be watching it closer than past years to make sure I take advantages of opportunities as they present themselves!