no time to waste
Mike Novinger operates in high gear
most of the time. With 3,500 crop
acres to get over, the Shelbyville farmer
isn’t about to squander time.
“The window to get a crop planted
can be pretty narrow,” he points out,
“and, at harvest, I want that crop
safely in the bin as soon as possible.”
The vast majority of Novinger’s
production is dedicated to soybeans,
a crop he prefers to corn because
of its lower input requirements and
resulting reduced risk.
Two 60-ft. split row planters,
tended by two converted tandem
trucks holding 450 units of seed each,
get the soybeans planted in a hurry
if conditions are right — about 50
acres per hour for each if everything’s
clicking.
And when it’s time for harvest on Mike and Michaele Novinger
Novinger Farms, five combines roll
through the fields. Most of the soybeans go into on-farm storage before heading to a terminal on the Mississippi.
Of course there’s plenty to do between planting and harvest. Novinger’s daughter, Michaele, has returned to the family farm
after earning an agriculture degree from Northwest Missouri State University and she’s taking on her share of the work.
“It’s fun working with her,” Novinger says. “She knows a lot of the tech stuff and, for me, that’s a big help. The sprayer is pretty
complex and she’s taken that over, from application to keeping track of what we’re using. She’s an important part of the operation.”
Novinger, who is an avid tractor puller when he can find the time, has been farming the land he grew up on since he graduated
from high school. The operation his father, Raymond, started has expanded over the years and the farming practices have changed
dramatically.
These days, the farm relies on grid sampling to do a better job of managing soil nutrients and they’re dealing with glyphosateresistant weeds — particularly water hemp — that motivated a move to Liberty Link seed genetics this season.
Mike and Michaele get some part-time help from a couple of area farmers, as well as a trucker for grain delivery.
And they count on financial help from FCS Financial. Mike has been a customer, “long enough that it’s tough to remember
when I started — at least 25 years.”
“It’s their job to take care of farmers and they’re good at it,” Novinger says. “If I need something they’re right there. Kelby
Oetting (vice president in the Hannibal office) is a nice guy and he knows what he’s talking about.
“Farm loans, money to operate or for equipment, they’re good to work with. The interest rates are competitive and the service
can’t be beat.”
That timely service is critical to a farmer on the move — especially when he’s running in high gear.