Finish Line Farming – Yields, Lessons, and Reflections
- fender2509
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
October – Harvest State of Mind
October is that time of year that feels like a blur. Combines are rolling sunup to sundown (and sometimes long after that!), trucks are lined up on gravel roads, grain bins are groaning, and farm shops always seem to leave a light on. For many, it’s the most rewarding time of year – months of hard work coming to fruition. For others, it’s a grind, an endurance test that stretches willpower and patience.
I’ve always thought of harvest as the true finish line. Not the end of the calendar year, not the final sales call, but the actual place where we measure everything that went into the season. And it’s also where we find out what the crop has been trying to tell us all year long.
Safety Isn’t Optional
Before I go any further, let’s talk about safety. Every harvest season brings close calls. Too often, I hear about accidents that change families forever, you hear them too. None of us are immune – fatigue, pressure, and long days blur judgment. Farmers and agronomists alike need to keep safety at the top of the list.
Here’s the truth: no bushel or corn, extra load of beans, and no perfectly timed fertilizer application is worth someone not coming home. So take that extra minute. Shut the machine down before reaching in and swapping parts. Double-check before pulling out on the road. It might feel tedious in the moment, but it’s one of the most valuable habits of agriculture – safety.
Reading Between the Rows
Now, back to the fields. Harvest is more than getting the crop out of the ground – it’s a living report card. The combine tells a story row by row, pass by pass. Agronomists: this is our time to lean in. Instead of just watching the monitor rise and fall, ask the questions:
Where did the yield hold up better than expected?
Where did disease sneak in and take more than it should have?
Did the starter fertilizer or foliar trial actually show up in the yield map?
Are there stress patterns in the field that match what we scouted in July?
I can’t overstate how important it is to pay attention right now. February-me would tell myself you’ll remember it later. Trust me – you won’t. The nuances blur. The storylines fade. Right now is the time to jot notes, snap pictures, and make mental connections that will carry into hybrid selection, fertility plans, and input decisions for 2026.
Reflect Now, Not Later
The biggest mistake I see is waiting until winter to reflect. By then, you’re looking at spreadsheets in the office, trying to remember which hybrid handled the sand ridge best, or whether that foliar pass bought you 5 extra bushels or just made you feel proactive.
Reflection needs to happen in the cab, or at the very least, in-season. I’d argue agronomists should be as busy taking notes at harvest as they are in June. This is the moment when your trial strips, test products, and “what if we try this” experiments prove themselves – or don’t. Don’t waste that chance is my point.
Beyond the Field
October isn’t just harvest – it’s also hunting season. For a lot of folks, that means an early morning in a tree stand before climbing into the combine, or maybe an afternoon walk through a CRP field. Farming and hunting have always gone hand in hand- it’s a chance to unplug for a few hours, breathe, and remember why we do this work in the first place.
It’s also a reminder: balance matters. The crop will get harvested. The work will get done. But the chance to take your kids out for their first pheasant hunt, or to spend a Saturday morning chasing deer with buddies, those moments don’t come back around. Farming is a way of life, this is just a different type of harvest.
Shameless Plug
Many of you had Ample C, MultiGro, or Ample ZSB in trials this year. I’ve heard a few early reports, and I’m excited to see more once yield data gets compiled. These products are designed to show value in exactly these moments- when plants are asked to finish strong, hold on under stress, and keep filling when other acres start to fade. If you’ve got firsthand observations, let me know about them while they’re still fresh on your mind!
Because that’s the whole point of Finish Line Farming - not just crossing the line, but learning from it and accelerating across the next one.
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