First, the drought monitor is unchanged for this week. Second, slowly, very slowly corn harvest is starting; some grain sorghum fields are nearing harvest; soybean plants are dropping leaves and pods are turning color. While the hot weather hasn’t been terribly pleasant for people, it has aided in summer crop maturation and preparing fields for winter wheat. One note, last week a column in the paper discussed fall planting of alfalfa. The information was accurate, however, one caveat is in order, actually two. Fall establishment is preferred as it allows for better production the first year. But, unless under irrigation, it tends to be riskier especially with hot air and soil temperatures due to the shallow planting depth required. This means it is best to wait until temperatures are more moderate with adequate soil moisture for establishment. And you must have adequate time for the plant to establish a root system and store reserves to overwinter. Planting the latter half of September is riskier as the average first frost date is mid-October. And with the price of establishing an alfalfa field, quite risky agronomically and economically. Now to today’s topic.