The Little Red Barn

The voters have spoken! The blue wave or blue tsunami flattened almost everything it wanted to last week. Ryan and Charlie try to examine what it really means to Agriculture, and generally, the answer is "not much". We'll even hit state level impacts of the obvious voter discontent. Plus there is a USDA "screwjob" — we mean USDA report this week, and harvest continues to move closer to completion

This week after getting an update on Charlie's harvest bingo card (which inexplicably now has a 5 way bingo and is heading toward "blackout"), we dive into the latest merger and acquisition in the ag space with Keystone Coop's latest potential "gobbling up" of another competitor. When is enough enough? Who gains from this vertical integration and who loses? The local farm economy continues to get beat up, and the guys try to find any kind of worthwhile-ness to this trend. 

Jason Harrold guest hosts this week as Charlie is out is working his way through a challenging harvest so far. Multiple squares have hit on his harvest bingo card. We talk USDA mulligans on the corn crop size, which leads to another episode of "Ryan's Rants",  harvest progress and the 2027 Red Power Round-up. 

This week we learn the real reason why Charlie could not make it to the studio for last week's podcast. Of course, this time of year there is a lot going on, but Charlie seems to have had a bit of "extra" on his operation. We discuss harvest conditions, harvest progress, our frenemies at USDA and pick up some tips on rehabbing muck messes. 

This week the guys dive into the true impact of fuel costs on harvest operations and what the Indiana Governors relaxation of off road diesel use really means on the farm as well. Additionally, we recap the Quarterly Grain Stocks report and look toward a great set up for harvest to hit full swing EVERYWHERE this week.

The Little Red Barn Road Show comes back this week as we travel to Bourbon, IN and chat with the multi-generational Bates Corp crew. Whether its new parts, used parts, rebuilt parts, or even a few toys...these guys have their hands in any part of it if its vintage Red power. We tour the warehouse and talk though the parts biz when it comes to keeping Vintage IH tractors humming in the field or on the show circuit or on the pulling circuit. 

Energy prices pushed to new recent highs this past week, just in time for harvest. But harvest means planting decisions are right around the corner and along with those, thoughts of fertilizer programs.  This week we chat with one of the main BUYERS of fertilizer for Keystone Cooperative in his Indianapolis office. We chat nitrogen, phosphates, current market conditions, the future oulooks and the impact of all of this on the 2027 crop year. Tons of information in here. We had remote connectivity issues this week, but just visualize that you're tuning in to the local high school game broadczsr on tbe radio as you listen to this episode.  Nostalgia....yeah, that's what we'll call it!  

Charlie has the run of the shop while Dad's out of town showing off a pretty rare antique auto. He brings a shopping list to this weeks episode, and it begs the question: where do dealers get off charging these kinds of prices for planters? We compare and contrast different quotes and Ryan asks the question we all have: how does it pencil to write these kinds of checks in this farm economy for something that has literally one job?  That along with a quick look at the WASDE and weather ahead of harvest.

It was a relatively benign week as we flipped the calendar into September.  News was sparse this week, but there is always something to chat about in the Little Red Barn. Harvest is trickling to a start, the Boilers are undefeated (for now) and our summer weather remains. 

This week Charlie reports on what he found interesting at Becknology Days, while Ryan plays the role of antagonist. Markets are giving opportunities, and there are plenty of attempts to draw out a new installment of "Ryan's Rants"...but alas, no go this week.