View From the Cab

DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- A thousand miles separate the Alabama and Nebraska farm fields of DTN's 2025 View From the Cab farmers. And the seasonal differences are on full display this week.

Harvest is nearly a wrap for Stuart Sanderson and Henderson Farms of Madison, Alabama. With only 300 acres of corn left to go and double-crop soybeans, they can see the finish line.

In central Nebraska, the gathering process has yet to begin for Ethan Zoerb, who farms near Litchfield. His crop received several rains during the past week which has helped extend grain fill but has also pushed harvest further out on the calendar.

Zoerb and Sanderson have been contributing to the View From the Cab feature throughout this growing season. The volunteer reporters comment on crop conditions and other rural concepts. This is the 21st report for the season.

Read on to learn more about what's happening in the field this week and how they balance family and farm during the busiest of times.

ETHAN ZOERB: LITCHFIELD, NEBRASKA

Zoerb likes to find ways to add technology to the farm that makes life easier and safer. This week he was adding external side readouts to the grain carts. "We've had the cart weight and scale system for 10 years or so, but I like the idea of being able to see totals from the combines without having to look at our phones," said Zoerb.

Yield checks a few weeks ago showed the starch line was stealthily moving toward black layer. He figures combines could roll as early as this coming week on earliest planted cornfields.

"We were lucky and caught a couple of rains over the past five days that pretty much finished up corn for us," he said. Zoerb estimated that most of his fields have received 2.5 to 3 inches of rain since Sept. 14.

DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick said the slow-moving system that brought rounds of rain last week may have a second act. "Another one is filling in right behind it for the start of this week," Baranick noted. "Scattered showers will be possible through Wednesday, but models here on Friday (Sept. 19) are all over the board with possibilities between some light spotty showers and heavy rain. Temperatures will be mild in the 70s most of the week."

That forecast might cause Zoerb to back off on thoughts of giving soybeans one last drink of irrigation water. Soybeans are just beginning to show a tinge of yellow and still have pods to fill in the upper canopy, he noted.

"We're not feeling confident on soybeans here this year. I've mentioned this before, but it just seemed as though they haven't looked right all year. Honestly, if yields aren't in the ballpark and we can't figure a way to make them more profitable, I'm not sure we'll be growing a lot of soybeans next year," Zoerb said.

Southern rust was a game changer for many corn farmers this year and this area of Nebraska saw more of the disease than normal. Zoerb is religious about scouting, and some acres received multiple fungicide passes trying to keep diseases at bay. It's the second year in a row that disease has caused issues.

One of his favorite things to do in the fall is sit in the deer stand and look out over the crops. This year, Zoerb said his corn is still mostly green and has been slow to turn.

"There's disease pressure in corn, but when I drive an hour south of here, that crop has mostly shut down. But here, it's almost strange how green everything has stayed. I'm not sure it is our elevation or if we timed fungicides just right. We also had a lot of cloudy days this year. But our crop seems to be taking its time," he noted.

He's loaded and ready to seed cereal rye on select acres after harvest. The recent moisture is good news for cover crops, too. While he has a new drone that could be used for the purpose of seeding, he figures the drill is better for seed-to-soil contact, especially since the timing could be a smidge later this year.

Zoerb might get a deer while he's in that deer stand, but he's picky about taking those shots. Sitting there is as much about grabbing moments of solitude, enjoying the scene and looking out over the crop he's tended and tried to figure out all summer.

Beyond taking a hard look at whether to plant beans, he's not made a lot of decisions about what changes he'll make in 2026. There will be plenty of combine cab time to contemplate those moves.

"We're talking about doing some inline ripping on end rows to relieve some compaction where we drive more," he said. "We're going to be looking hard at our fertility program to make sure we aren't mining any soils."

It is easy to feel pressure to be at the farm and not schedule anything during harvest. But Zoerb said the farm tries to put family first, even in busy seasons. That includes employees who might have children or grandchildren with ballgames or other events to attend.

"We never want anyone feeling resentful while working here. We just ask that employees keep us informed of family needs and we try to be accommodating," he said.

STUART SANDERSON: MADISON, ALABAMA

Sanderson unplugged this week by hunting waterfowl in Saskatchewan with friends. Yes, harvest was still underway on the farm.

The way the farm is structured with multiple family members involved in decision-making helps make it possible to take an occasional break during the busy season. Sanderson said doing so also requires communicating, prior planning and making sure others are available to cover responsibilities. It's not an everyday thing, either. This hunting trip had been on the books for two years.

"If you don't find time to make time, then one day you won't have any time," he said. "With me, God comes first. Family is second. The farm comes third," he said. "Not everyone will agree with those priorities, but these priorities are entwined with the business-like philosophy that we follow on this farm.

"The way I see it, we get to farm. God has given us the ability to do something we love as a job that we work hard at. But we don't use it as an excuse not to experience other things in life," he added.

In Alabama, there is one day each fall that is sacrosanct. "Everyone knows not to plan a wedding or even a funeral on the third Saturday in October when Alabama plays Tennessee in football," he said.

What Sanderson would like to see happen soon is nice soaking rain. Baranick noted that the region has is on the verge of drought. The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor pegs the area as D0 (Abnormally dry).

"But they'll get plenty of opportunity for rain throughout the week as one system leaves and another moves in right on its heels," Baranick said. "That system will be a slow mover, keeping in shower chances every day. Some heavy rain will be possible there with it. When it's not raining. It will be warm with highs well into the 80s (Fahrenheit) and close to 90 to start the week."

Corn harvest is nearing completion, but double-crop soybeans still have some maturing left, Sanderson said. "We are still watering those beans. Leaves are just starting to yellow. They are looking good and upper pods are starting to fill. If we get the rains they're saying, that could finish those beans off and give us good moisture to start planting winter wheat and canola."

Sanderson doesn't anticipate major changes to the farm cropping plans next year. "We are taking around 500 acres out of wheat to plant canola," he said.

They've never planted winter canola before, but the program (a cooperative venture between Bunge and Corteva) was attractive since it included a guaranteed price and an acreage contract.

"I'm all about finding another crop that can be profitable," he said.

Pamela Smith can be reached at pamela.smith@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @PamSmithDTN

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