DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- Tyler Rath's to-do list is always full but fall brings another level of intensity. From checking corn fields for remaining irrigation needs, to racing to harvest edible beans before they get too dry, to rolling millet into large round bales, to making sure equipment is up to snuff to handle harvest conditions -- every action seems to come with a deadline this time of year for the Belgrade, Minnesota, farmer.
His report for DTN's View From the Cab came from the cab as he was applying desiccant to dark red kidney beans. The light red kidneys have already been harvested and have headed down the road to the processor.
In Maryland, Chris Weaver also feels the fall crunch on his farm near Finksburg. Last minute applications of microbes were being applied this week in hopes of packing more dry matter into corn.
A spit of rain also allowed him a hot minute to head to the Maryland State Fair to weigh-in market hogs and lambs -- a chore he was handling for his children since they've gone back to school. His View From the Cab report came with a squealing soundtrack.
Weaver and Rath have been participating in this diary-like feature since May; they provide insights on what it is like to farm in their respective areas and with more intimate details about the daily aspects of farming than often get reported in news stories. This is the 22nd year that DTN has offered the View From the Cab series with 44 farmer volunteers spread across the United States offering perspectives over the years.
The 2026 reports have shown the wide variety of jobs these farmers juggle, as well as the wallop weather packs into nearly every action and decision. This week the farmers talk about current crop conditions, the continued need for moisture and give some thoughts on fostering good relationships with landowners.
CHRIS WEAVER: FINKSBURG, MARYLAND
Pigs are notorious for their eating habits and Weaver saw it firsthand this week as he weighed in barrows for a market hog show.
"They're close to the 300-lb. cutoff and didn't get their breakfast this morning," he said, attempting to shout over the cacophony of grunts and squeals. Weaver may tease his kids about how hard he's working on their behalf, but truth is the fact that his children are involved in agriculture and have shown themselves to be diligent about their chores has brightened his summer.
The late-season rains received of late have also helped to lighten his mood. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, this part of central Maryland remains in a D1 (moderate) drought. But he's feeling fortunate to have received enough precipitation, but not the overwhelming amounts that have hit some areas of the Northeast.
"Any corn that is 100-day or less is drying down nicely and dented," said Weaver. "We put some additional microbes over the top of 115- to 122-day corn. Right now, all we're trying to do is just finish this crop."
Scouting doesn't stop just because the crop is nearing the finish line. In fact, Weaver likes to take notes this time of year to remind him what to expect next season.
He puts a big push on biologicals in his cropping system and has a goal of using more of them next year, but in more efficient ways.
"I'm working toward designing programs on a per field basis, rather than a whole farm approach. I really want to get more specific as to soil type," he said.
Also on his radar is trying to prevent the spread of Palmer amaranth that has begun to establish in his farming area.
"We're physically removing it from roadsides and anywhere we see it," he said. So far, Weaver has not found Palmer amaranth in his fields, but he does not want the invasive troublemaker to gain a foothold. Bagging and disposing of the entire plant are defensive moves to control seed dispersal.
Timely fungicide applications have also been part of his management plan. "Southern rust scared me last year and I made up my mind that I'd be on top of it this year," he said.
A few counties in Maryland are currently reporting tar spot in corn, but it has yet to be confirmed in his county in 2026. In past years, tar spot has shown up around the end of August and early September -- too late to be economic, but not to be taken for granted, he maintained.
The weather for the coming week could be steamy. DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick said an active pattern is forecast in the Northeast, and at times that may mean some showers and thunderstorms moving through Maryland.
"We could see a couple of rounds as systems go by to the north this week. The state will also be on the edge of a heat dome, which means it could be really hot, in the 90s, or it could be in the mid-to-upper 80s if showers and a front settle in," Barnick noted. "It should be quite humid as well. With all the energy in the atmosphere, we'll have to worry about severe weather here as well."
With that forecast, there's no worries about snow just yet. But that's one service Weaver includes when he discusses landowner relationships. While the cash rent is his way of leasing, he and his farm crew often find themselves "helping" where needed.
"Every lease we have is individual, by landowner and specific to them," Weaver said. "Maybe they need help with snow removal or need their lawn mown. Every person has different needs and if it fits into our schedule and what we know, we try to accommodate.
"I think it is important to remember that many of these owners are now generations away from being farmers. So, their wants and needs may be different than those in the past," he said.
Maryland's Right-to-Farm law protects active agricultural, forestry, and seafood operations from public and private nuisance lawsuits related to standard farming activities like noise, dust and odors. Other laws protect renters if land is sold with a crop actively growing, Weaver noted.
University of Maryland Extension bulletins show the state ranks 19th in population and 5th in population density in the nation. Population growth and urban sprawl put pressure on farmland availability. The average cropland cash rent for the state as estimated by USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) is $136 per acre for 2026. Irrigated cash rents were estimated at an average of $233 per acre for irrigated acres and $129 per acre for non-irrigated. Cash rent trends higher overall in northern portions of the state.
Population density where Weaver farms equates to incredible road traffic. The furthest the farm stretches out from the main headquarters is about 9 miles. A more southernly operation is about 25 miles away, but he dedicates a separate set of equipment to that farm to limit implement movement.
TYLER RATH: BELGRADE, MINNESOTA
If Rath needs evidence of how drought has seeped into his region, he need only look at the nearly $14,000 he paid to run irrigation units in July. It was the most expensive electric bill of his career, and that figure doesn't reflect costs of units run on diesel. It's small wonder that the drought leads his lists of concerns this week.
"Pastures are burned off. We're chopping silage this week on dryland corn and I'm concerned that it may be too dry already," he said. "Kidney beans are drying extremely fast with heat and wind. I'm hoping that dark red kidney yields will be better than the lights (kidney beans), but scouting is making me wonder if I'm going to be disappointed. It's just been too hot," Rath said.
DTN's Baranick said the weather pattern should get a lot busier across the northern tier of the country for at least early September, if not longer. That includes Minnesota and the Rath farm.
"They've been unlucky with hail this year, and this pattern does provide some threat of severe weather to go with the frequent rainfall. Here's hoping that the white combine (hail) stays away from them to finish out their season. Depending on how all these showers manifest, there will be a risk of flooding, too," Baranick said.
"It'll just be very difficult to forecast more than a day out because it'll all depend on where fronts stall, how often they get hit, and whether or not that rainfall will be heavy enough. Temperatures should be quite variable with all the showers going through, but if it doesn't affect them too much, we should see a lot of daytime highs above normal, in the lower 80s."
The U.S. Drought Monitor is a broad view, but it currently pegs Stearns County where Rath farms under D1 drought conditions. This week he's been scouting fields diligently to see when he might be able to cut irrigation off to corn.
"We're at 85% dent on average across our acres. Our corn under the pivots looks like it will yield well," he said.
The farm crew was busy this week rolling German millet into large round bales to be used for cattle feed in coming months. They've also finished fencing in some new pasture and building a coral. Heifers have been moved and are enjoying new grass.
Kidney bean acres that have been harvested have received applications of manure and been planted to a cover crop of oats. Kidney bean harvesters are hooked back up and ready to roll again this coming week. Meanwhile, a pre-trip inspection of the semi revealed a few tires were worn and needed fixed.
"We've been pulling out stuck irrigators. We're wiring up our new corn dryer because we'll need it soon," Rath said.
The farm was recently approved for an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) project through the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to build a manure stacking slab and bed pack barn expansion. That work starts this fall.
Cash rent is the primary method of leasing in his farming area, Rath said. USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) estimated Minnesota's average cropland cash rent at $206 per acre for 2026. Average cash rent on non-irrigated land was estimated at $205 per acre compared to $235 per acre for irrigated land. Rath noted cash rent rates vary widely within the state depending on productivity and value of crops grown. He added that it is rare for land to come available and there are plenty of farmers willing to rent when it does.
Good old-fashioned attentiveness goes a long way toward stewarding landlord relationships. Rath tries to keep his informed about the crops. He'll stop for a visit and buy them lunch if it is convenient.
"We have a year-end farm party and invite everyone for food and drinks," he said.
Letting everyone see you involved in the community doesn't hurt either. This past weekend, he and his family joined in a local parade -- driving a restored International Farmall 1456.
"The first tractor my mom and dad bought together after they were married and farming together was a 1969 Farmall 856. They handed that tractor down to my wife and I when we started farming," Rath said.
"Dad always wanted the entire series. So, we have a 756, 856, 1256 and the 1456. One day I hope to hand these tractors down to our kids if they decide to farm. It's all part of keeping the legacy alive," he said.
DTN Headline News
DTN Blogs & Forums
