But the irrigation of our corn has prevented us from doing other work like planting and harvesting other crops. Because of hard grounds, people are starting to irrigate before they make purchases, according to Skorik, who was forced to hire more staff to take care of her inventory. Tower, whose main crops are tomatoes and peaches, said the dry spell has helped him because it means more sunlight for the crops, which is crucial for growing. I need more staff to water the inventory so...

Greer, whose family has farmed in Nelson County since the 1790s, said last week that he had needed major rains for the 750 acres of corn that he and his son raise. Greer's corn is at -- or approaching -- a critical point: He needs rain to help the plants pollinate, or he'll face sizable losses in yields. Up until last week, crops essentially have been relying on moisture in the ground from last fall and winter to make it through. The importance of water for corn at this time is the...

The record for corn planting was set in 1944, as American farmers responded to a huge demand for the crop in war-torn Europe. Fueled by high demand and high prices for corn, farmers planted an estimated 92. That boom has been fueled by sky high corn prices, a result largely attributed to rising production of corn-based ethanol. That's 19 percent more than in 2006 and well above an earlier government estimate. Huckabay said Friday's report affirms what is obvious to even some casual...

Roesch said the market for grains and seed processing is swelling because of global growth in biofuels and higher demand for protein in emerging markets. Shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland are down 15 percent in the past two months because the market is concerned that a lot of competitors will produce more corn to help customers make ethanol. Roesch said the cheap stock price compensates for the anticipated competition in selling corn, which accounts for 43 percent of earnings. This material...

News Click to Enlarge This turkey is a frequent flyer By Doug Hunt Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2007 12:03 AM EDT Email this story . Print this story YOUNTSVILLE A wild hen turkey does not mind socializing with humans, as Mel and Donnie Kelly have found out. News Click to Enlarge This turkey is a frequent flyer By Doug Hunt Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2007 12:03 AM EDT Email this story . Print this story YOUNTSVILLE A wild hen turkey does not mind socializing with humans, as Mel and Donnie...