Upcoming plot days to spotlight hybrid performance
Written by Jonathan Eisenthal
Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) District Field Manager Tanner Sanborn said he senses increased excitement around upcoming plot days.
Plot days are events during which farmers see how corn and soybean hybrids are performing in their area. Growers can walk rows of plants and peel back husks, size up the ears, make a rough estimate of yields, and hear from seed dealers about hybrids. The information can help farmers make planting decisions in future years.
Sixteen Minnesota county corn grower associations planted plots in 2022. Plots typically include 12-16 corn hybrids, and they are planted, maintained, and harvested by county volunteers, though some have help from FFA students.
“The local variety plot gives you a realistic depiction of what you can see if you plant this corn,” Sanborn said. “You won’t see something they grew up somewhere in [another part of Minnesota] that is getting [a high yield].”
On Sept. 12, the Faribault County Corn and Soybean Growers is hosting a plot day. The Goodhue County Corn and Soybean Growers Association is hosting a plot day on Sept. 13
Sanborn said growers who attend the plot days won’t see yield data, since the crops have not yet been harvested. But he noted that MCGA posts county plot results online once they’re available after harvest and that some counties send the data to their members.
Some county corn organizations take advantage of the crowds drawn to a plot day and host their annual meeting for their members as part of the proceedings. A free lunch means people will arrive ready to socialize.
[Read more: An Asset to Counties: MCGA Variety Plot Program]
“The social element is important,” Sanborn said. “People reconnect, and they make new friends. They exchange ideas about farming methods, they talk about issues important to the community, they network. We also recruit new grower-leaders here.”
If you go:
Faribault County Corn & Soybean Growers Plot Day
September 12 @ 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
Jeff Ignaszewski Farm 61385 270th Street, Wells, MN
Goodhue County Corn and Soybean Growers Annual Meeting and Plot Day
September 13 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Plot tour: 11 a.m. Lunch and annual meeting: 12:30 p.m. The plot is located at the intersection of County 1 Blvd and County 6 Blvd in Goodhue.
Lunch is at 37375 County 6 Blvd, Goodhue, MN. Call Brad Hovel at 651-764-3855 if you are interested in becoming a member.
