January 2026
As we turn the calendar to a new year, we want to take a moment to say thank you—to our landowners, partners, and everyone who takes an interest in our operation. We are grateful for the trust placed in our family and the opportunity to care for the land each season.
The past year brought its share of challenges and successes, and through it all, we remained focused on one priority: managing the land with care, integrity, and a long-term mindset. From planting decisions to harvest and conservation practices, every choice was made with soil health, productivity, and sustainability in mind.
This newsletter is our way of sharing what’s happening on the farm. Inside, you’ll find a recap of the past growing season, highlights from around the operation, and a look ahead to the year to come.
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If you have questions or would like to learn more about our operation, we welcome the conversation. Thank you for following along—we look forward to the year ahead.
Harvest Days
A Celebration of Our Landowners
On August 9, we were honored to host our annual Landowner Appreciation event, Harvest Days—a day dedicated to celebrating the relationships that make our operation possible.
It was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with many of our landowners, share great conversations, and enjoy a meal together. Guests were invited to take tractor rides, walk the property, and see firsthand the equipment and practices we use to care for their land.
Events like Harvest Days are a reminder of how fortunate we are to work with such supportive and engaged landowners. We truly value the trust they place in our family and appreciate the opportunity to connect in person.
Author: Kendra Neu
All crops performed average to above average across our acres, reflecting the resiliency of the land and the effectiveness of our management practices.
As the season progressed, commodity markets offered limited opportunities for forward pricing grain as we typically would. This created some challenges with on-farm storage capacity during harvest. To manage this, we made good use of our grain bagger to safely store grain while maintaining quality and flexibility for marketing.
Author: Anthony Neu
2025 Growing Season Recap
Balancing Markets, Weather, and Storage
As we entered the 2025 growing season, grain markets provided strong signals favoring corn. In making our planting decisions, we carefully considered several key factors including market prices, crop insurance and other risk management tools, input costs, crop rotation, and overall profitability. After evaluating these items, we planted a higher percentage of corn acres than we typically do. Soybeans made up another large portion of our acres, with spring wheat and winter rye completing the remainder of our crop mix.
Winter snowfall was below normal, which allowed planting to move quickly and efficiently. Following planting, timely rains were accompanied by a colder-than-average spell in mid-May. Cooler summer temperatures throughout the growing season delayed crop maturity slightly compared to normal, but overall conditions remained favorable.
Rye roots can grow over three feet deep, helping improve soil structure.
Author: Jakob Neu
Last fall, while the corn crop was still standing in the field, we applied a rye cover crop to over 600 acres. Because the crop had not yet been harvested, we used aerial application. Similar to how crop dusters spray chemicals on crops, they are able to attach a spreading machine to the airplane so that they can spread the cover crop. Rye is a cereal grain that germinates easily, and favorable moisture conditions during the 2025 growing season helped the cover crop establish even though it was spread on top of the soil.
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The primary benefits we seek from rye are soil protection and increased organic matter. As corn reaches maturity, its root system becomes less active, and the growing rye takes over below-ground root activity—supporting soil biology and improving long-term soil health. Above ground, rye residue protects soil from wind and water erosion while helping retain moisture.
Cover Crops in Action
Why We Use Fall-Seeded Rye
​Rye is a winter annual that resumes growth in the spring. We allow it to grow long enough to build biomass before terminating it ahead of planting. In wetter springs, rye helps remove excess moisture so fields can dry more quickly—reducing our need for tillage and helping protect soil structure. In drier springs, we terminate it earlier to maintain moisture balance.
Meet Our Team
New faces working full-time
Dillon Neu
Equipment Operator
Joined Full-Time: May 2024
Dillon plays an important role in keeping daily operations running smoothly. His primary responsibilities include grain hauling, supporting planting and harvest operations, and assisting wherever extra hands are needed. Dillon also operates the grain cart and helps maintain farm grounds.
What truly sets Dillon apart is his organization and attention to detail. He takes pride in keeping the shop, tools, and supplies in order, helping our team work more efficiently. His willingness to jump in wherever needed makes him a valuable part of our operation.
Volodymyr Borovyk
Equipment Operator
Joined Full-Time: July 2025
Volodymyr joined our team full-time after previously working with us as a seasonal employee. He serves as a combine operator and is heavily involved in equipment maintenance, repairs, and hauling grain to the elevator.
With extensive experience operating a wide range of equipment, Volodymyr brings a high level of skill and reliability to our operation. He is also an excellent mechanic who can tackle most repairs in-house, helping keep our equipment running safely and efficiently throughout the season.
Jakob Neu
Agronomy Manager
Joined Full-Time: January 2026
Jakob oversees our agronomy planning and precision agriculture systems. His responsibilities include sprayer operations, planning and purchasing crop inputs, and keeping our GIS equipment and field data accurate and up to date. He also assists with operating equipment during planting and harvest.
Jakob brings valuable knowledge in crop protection application and precision ag technologies. His experience helps ensure that inputs are applied accurately and efficiently while supporting the long-term productivity of land.
Celebrating 25 Years of Partnership
This year, we are proud to recognize several landowners who are celebrating 25 years of partnership with our family. These long-standing relationships mean more to us than we can express, and we are truly grateful for the trust and support you have placed in our operation over the years.
We would like to extend a special thank you to:
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Betty Fischer
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Brent Fischer
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Brock Fischer
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Christopher Arends
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Colleen Reardon
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Darvin Fischer
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Robert Fischer
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Royce Fischer
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Wayne Fischer
Thank you for being an important part of our farm family. We are honored to care for your land and look forward to many more years of partnership.
UnCommon Farms
Investing in Our Operation
Our family joined UnCommon Farms (formerly known as Family Farms) in 2015 as part of our commitment to operating a strong, well-managed, and forward-thinking business. This organization provides us with valuable resources including access to a professional farm coach, financial consultants, and support in areas such as human resources, legal guidance, and succession and transition planning.
Anthony has served on the UnCommon Farms Board of Directors for the past six years, concluding his full term at the December 2025 board meeting. He has been honored to be part of the organization’s growth and leadership development during that time and greatly valued the experience and knowledge gained.
Tony and Daniel also participate in an UnCommon Farms peer group made up of farmers from across the Midwest. This group meets three times each year to share ideas, learn from one another, and continually improve as farm managers.
Our involvement with UnCommon Farms helps us bring new ideas, accountability, and long-term planning back to your land—allowing us to manage it responsibly today while preparing for the future.
Author: Anthony Neu
