AGRONOMY
Fun facts about Mid-County Agronomy Division
Did you know that the Agronomy division
of Mid-County Coop has been serving cus-
tomers since 1935? And did you know our
staff has over 100 years of combined experi-
ence in agronomy; including crop manage-
Scott Nelson
Agronomy Manager ment, nutrition, and protection?
(952) 466-3733
Here are some more fun facts about the
[email protected]
Mid-County Ag division:
• The fertilizer leg, which feeds the fertilizer tower, is 96 feet tall.
• The fertilizer tower holds up to 90 tons of fertilizer.
• The average number of hours our staff members work per day in
the spring is 18.9 hours.
• It takes approximately four minutes to treat enough soybean seed
for 40 acres.
• In the spring, we use approximately 870 gallons of fuel per day.
• Dale Schmitz has been with Mid-County for 29 years!
• Do you know how many times per year Alex trims his beard? Zero!
• Our tallest tire is 6.2-feet tall (74 inches), and it is on a sprayer.
• Our widest tire is 4-feet (48 inches) wide, and it is on a fertilizer
fl oater.
Dieball Dairy named 2018 Sibley County Farm Family of the Year
Dieball Dairy was recently
recognized as the 2018 Sibley
County Farm Family of the Year.
Dieball Dairy, which includes
Karl and Rosemary Dieball and
their sons John and James, pro-
duces milk and cash crops near
Green Isle.
John and James (Jim) grew
up working on the farm and
have since gone on to start
families of their own. John lives
Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota
on a farm south of the home
Extension
Members of the Dieball family include: place with his wife, Jenny, and
front – Shelby Dieball; back – Karl Dieball, two children, working off the
Rosemary Dieball, Alyson Dieball, Wendy farm in addition to a custom
Dieball, and Jim Dieball.
baling business.
Jim lives and works on the farm full time with his wife, Wendy, and
their two children. He plans to continue running Dieball Dairy into
future generations.
The Dieballs are active in the community and dairy industry; hold-
ing memberships in the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, the
Notes from the fields
It is our goal to have
a team approach to your
continued success in crop
production. Steve Salz and
myself are part of your
planning and execution
process when it comes to
Amanda Steff el
in-fi eld agronomics. We
Sales Agronomist
start with mapping, then
soil sampling, followed up
by fertilizer and weed control recommendations that are suited
to your budget and preferences. After all that, we work together
with the rest of the Agronomy team to make sure the applications
are scheduled and completed on a timely basis. From start to fi n-
ish, we are there together!
Often fertilizer prices are lower in the fall and early purchasing
can save you money. We would be happy to discuss the options
Page 4
National Dairy Promotion Council, the Minnesota Dairy Promotion
Council, and the Dairy Herd Improvement Association.
Karl has also served as a delegate for AgSource, and Jim has been
on the board of directors with Mid-County Coop in Cologne for the
past several years.
“We buy our fertilizer and seed from [Mid-County Coop],” Rose-
mary said.
She added that one of the best parts of farming is seeing the crops
grow each season – starting from tiny seeds and developing into
ripe ears of corn and deep green soybean plants. The Dieballs have
enjoyed seeing the improvements in yield through the decades.
The annual Farm Family of the Year recipient is chosen locally
by the Sibley County Extension Committee and is based on a can-
didate’s demonstrated commitment to enhancing and supporting
agriculture and community involvement.
“The farm families receiving this year’s honors exemplify what
makes Minnesota agriculture strong. They bring innovation, science
and hard work to farming. They care greatly about the land and ani-
mals and delivering quality products to consumers worldwide,” said
Bev Durgan, Dean of Extension. “The University of Minnesota takes
great pride in honoring these families.”
available and if it makes sense for you to be booking products
now. And if you are working with a lender, we can assist you in
that part of your planning process with accurate spreadsheets
laying out all of your input costs.
Now is the best time of year for soil sampling. Many of our
growers are now grid sampling not for just fertilizer, but lime and
micronutrients that can make your fertilizer dollar go further. We
are excited about some of the new seed varieties we have avail-
able to lower your input costs and maximize yields at the same
time. Here is also a place where soil samples can help in variety
selection by placing the hybrid that will do the best on YOUR
specifi c fi eld.
We are here, not to be just a commodity broker, but an integral
part of your whole operation. Thank you for your continued busi-
ness and for letting us be your partner in your crop production
and/or feed production program.
www.midcountycoop.com