On Tuesday, June 18th, 7 PM, Heller Group will be conducting a Real Estate informational meeting.  This meeting will consist of information on the bidding procedures, terms/conditions of the auction and other information/questions potential bidders may have on the farms offered on the Real Estate Auction for Minnesota Farms Company.  On the 25th of June, 2013, this auction will consist of 3 separate real estate auctions.  Please note the times and parcels below:

     Tuesday, June 25th

Location:  American Legion, Hwy. 75, Wheaton MN.

     10 AM:  3 Parcels in the Donnelly & Herman area.

      1:30  PM:  6 Parcels located south of Wheaton.

      7:30 PM:  2 Parcels located north of Wheaton.

For other information, please call us at 320-523-1050.

Thanks, Gary P Hotovec

Auctioneer/ Realtor(R)

On Wednesday the 3rd of April, I visited with a client and he told me last year (2012) on the 27th of March he had all of his small grain seeded. This year? The only thing I’ve seen in the field has been snow on the 27th! The past few years we’ve seen warmer temperatures during late winter and early spring, however this year seems to be looking more like an average spring. Does anyone remember the St. Patrick’s Day Blizzard of 1965 and all the flooding that followed?

I have noticed the frost coming out of some fields however, the water is still sitting in the low ground tells me the tile hasn’t opened yet.

Many farmers are asking themselves – “When will we get in the fields?” In the middle 1960′s when I was still a young pup, Fred Ninow told me something I’ve never forgotten. He said, “Young fella, you just don’t get into the field until 2 things happen in Minnesota in the spring. They are: the snow has to be out of the groves and the ice has to be off of the lakes!”. I’ve watched this during the years that have passed and the saying is still true today as it was back in the ’60′s.

We will get warm temps this spring and the crop will be planted, everyone just has to be patient. When you finally get in the fields with the tractors, equipment and trucks, be careful and don’t work being tired. I was on a fire department for many years and it is not a pretty sight when called to a farm accident. Your family needs you.

Take care
Gary P Hotovec
Heller Group – 1 Stop Realty
Olivia, MN

The combines and beet lifters are running night and day as the ideal harvesting weather continues.  The dry conditions in the area are making this years harvest progress to almost a record pace.  Unusual as this year has been, it appears that many farmers will finish the corn harvest before finishing with the soybeans.  Many fields of soybeans are maturing uneven with green stalks and dry pods.

Corn yields I’ve been hearing in the local area have been from 150 to 200 bu. plus per acre with soybeans from 25 to 65 bu. per acre, all depends on who got the rain!  I’ve heard the sugar beets are yielding good also in the area.

I talked to my cousin in Iowa last night, he told me a farm that he manages in NE Iowa, 1 to 2 bu. per acre and the corn is 2′ to 3′ high with no ears.  Not everything is all well down on the farm!  Also, I visited with a farmer yesterday who was doing some tile repair by Willmar.  They dug down 10′ to the tile and powder dry all the way down.  This weather is good for the harvesting, but we sure do need rain and moisture before next spring and planting!

Gary P Hotovec

Hotovec Auction Center

Hutchinson, MN

Rains this time of the year are typically a hit and miss proposition. Last week, the week of July 22nd, north of Olivia saw the rains range from .8 tenths to a 1.25″.  South of Olivia 2 or 3 miles, just a few drops.  Our rain gauge at the auction center in Hutchinson read 1.4″ and areas in between Hutch and Olivia, even more rain!  The corn on the hills near Olivia is starting to show some stress from the lack of rain and the 90+ temps we have been experiencing.  August is the month soybeans are typically made and we are all hoping and praying we will be blessed with some timely rains during the month.

The Renville and McLeod County Fairs will be during the middle of August.  I enjoy seeing the 4H kids with their livestock displays at the fair.  I have been helping with the 4H livestock auction at the McLeod Co. Fair for years.  If you can, stop by either or both of the fairs and support these kids.  They work hard all year and the fair is the time and place to show off this hard work.  Encourage them to participate as long as they can.  The livestock numbers seem to be dwindling at these fairs, the fairs need these 4H clubs to help keep the livestock numbers up!

Gary P Hotovec

Hotovec Auction Center

Hutchinson

U.S.D.A. reports that the U.S. planted 96 million acres of corn in 2012.  At trend line yields that acreage would have produced a 15.8 – 16 billion bushel corn crop, which would have created an excess supply of corn.  That excess would have lowered corn prices possibly to below $4.00 per bushel.

Now with topical heat for several weeks and drought conditions in some of the prime corn growing states, the 2012 corn crop is in doubt.  Local October 2012 corn prices have risen from $4.60 to $6.17 quickly leaving us all wondering what is going to happen?  Stand by for more updates.