Splish Splash through the wheat field. Trying to beat the rain again!

Many people ask why farmers use pesticides and fungicides.  We apply herbicides to wheat to kill weeds that could alter the taste of milled flour such as wild onions.  Pesticides control aphids, stinkbugs, army worms and other bugs that can greatly degrade the quality of the grain as well.  We use these chemicals sparingly in order to grow milling quality wheat.  If we failed to manage our wheat crop accordingly you definitely wouldn't like the taste of your biscuit or bread.  Much of our wheat ends up at the Siemer Flour Mill in Hopkinsville, KY.  Siemer flour is found in McDonald's biscuits, Krusteaz brand products and Cheddar Biscuits at Red Lobster to name a few. 

Finally, some "Blue Skies" during a wet spring.  We are hurrying through the wheat to get it protected before the next rain event this weekend.

Timeliness is very important when making fungicide applications on wheat.  We try to hit it when 75-80% of the heads are fully emerged.  The fungicide protects the grain as it fills in the head so the test weight will be of milling quality.