Where has the summer gone?

Wow! I feel like it was just yesterday I was at Beck's Hybrid Headquarters in Atlanta, Indiana for intern on-boarding. On-boarding has been one of the coolest experiences of my summer internship thus far. I learned so much about the history of the company and why the company is so important to the Beck family. It amazed me how big a small family business can grow with hard work and determination.

After two days of intern on-boarding, it was on to start my internship in Downs, Illinois at the Beck's Central Illinois Practical Farm Research facility. We got to work right away, as we had to finishing up planting corn and soybean plots on the farm. It was a little overwhelming trying to figure out the locations and research being done at the various plots on the farm, but by now I can tell you where all the plots are located and what the goal of the plot is.

After we finished planting, the crops took off and started growing very quickly with the humid, hot, and wet weather had in early June. So, we then started are PFR partner program, with this program we traveled with different nitrogen application rigs all over the state to apply nitrogen to v10 growth stage corn. With this program we experiment with different nitrogen application rates, as well as experimenting with urea. I got to drive the rigs a lot on the road and really enjoyed that. I also got to applicate the nitrogen a few times, which was a really cool experience.

After we completed all the fields we had for the PFR partners program in late June, we returned back to Downs full time to start preparing for our field day, which is August, 14th. We have been doing a lot of spraying and grooming of the plots on the farm to insure they are in tip-top shape for field day. We have also been putting up a lot of signs up to identify the hybrids and research being done in the plots.

Recently, I have decided on a plot that I will use for my special project for our class. I have decided to use a corn and soybean wheel population plot that I have been working with all summer. Myself and two other interns that work with, hand planted the two wheels in early June and have managed it throughout the summer. It is a very cool to look at and see how different hybrids react to various population rates.

I have already learned so much this summer, it is unreal. I believe, I have learned more about corn and soybeans in 2 months than in my whole entire life. This week is should be a lot of fun because on Friday, we are flying to Texas on Beck's Leer Jet to observe Texas corn harvest. I'm very excited to be making my first visit to the great state of Texas on a private jet!