For Nate Meixell, Lake Crystal, Minnesota (Blue Earth County) Saturday, September 26, 2026. Filed by The MI Farm AI Desk.
Weather, Blue Earth County, MN
What this means for today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then patchy fog and a slight chance of rain showers between 7am and 8am. Cloudy, with a high near 70. Wind 5 to 17 mph through the day (see the hour by hour table below). Chance of precipitation is 30%. Source: NOAA National Weather Service via the MI Farm AI weather layer for Blue Earth County, MN, pulled this morning. Hour by Hour, the day ahead
Source: NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast and station observations, pulled this morning. Wind this morning at your nearest weather station was about 13 mph. Rain WindowWe could not get a reading right on your field this morning. The nearest weather station (Mankato MN, about 11 miles northeast) recorded 0.34 inches in the past 24 hours. Your own ground may differ, so check your gauge. Futures board reference (not your cash)
Friday close, board reopens Sunday 7pm CT. The board is a labeled futures reference, not your cash bid. Your cash and net after haul are below. Corn Today (Dec 2026 board)
Cash bid, your nearby buyers, ranked by net after haul, best first
Cash bid is each buyer's own posted local price (the local cash plus basis). Ranked by net after haul, best first (ties break to the shorter haul, then higher cash). Net is the cash bid minus the cost to truck it there. Patronage is money a co-op pays back on the bushels you deliver, often a few cents a bushel.
Local cash bids, as of 2026-09-25.
Soybeans Today (Nov 2026 board)
Cash bid, your nearby buyers, ranked by net after haul, best first
Cash bid is each buyer's own posted local price (the local cash plus basis). Ranked by net after haul, best first (ties break to the shorter haul, then higher cash). Net is the cash bid minus the cost to truck it there. Patronage is money a co-op pays back on the bushels you deliver, often a few cents a bushel.
Local cash bids, as of 2026-09-25.
Grain and Livestock, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattleFriday's close. Markets closed for the weekend. These are the most recent settled prices; the boards reopen the next trading day. Cal's Grain Call: Price a portion of 140,000 bu corn at $5.15/bu via POET Lake Crystal (a recommendation, see the factors).Corn: Grain in the bin is 2025 old crop corn; in September it prices on the old crop September board. Soybeans: Grain in the bin is 2025 old crop soybean; in September it prices on the old crop September board. Your whole farm money: about $1,049,863 net across your farm at Friday's board close. (32% of costs still estimated) Likely range $413,788 to $1,367,899: revenue is real, some costs are still estimated. This total is frozen at Friday's close; the board reopens Sunday 7pm CT. This is your complete-budget whole-farm net from the one farm-total writer, not the field boxes added up.
Source: CME livestock futures. Cal's Market ReadAt Friday's close, corn steady; and beans added about 2 cents. Recent trend, over the last 5 sessions, corn has eased and beans have eased. That is the backdrop your cash bid is moving against. Here is our read on why. Cutting the other way, demand still reads firm per AgWeek: Waltner: A word harvest on the combine. Honest truth, the tape does not hand us one clean reason today, so take this as our best read, not gospel. Stocks point higher into the open, S&P futures up about 0.5 percent. A firmer tape eases the borrowing and input-cost mood your lender watches, though it does not move your cash bid by itself. Cal Wall Street, yesterday's close
WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR FIELDS Decision DeliveredYour decisions for today and the week ahead:
What to Watch Today
From Cal's News DeskThe 6 stories that moved across the wires since yesterday's Brief, sourced, dated, and verifiable. Each one carries Cal's review, the same one the news page shows, with a link to read it straight from the source. 1. Waltner: A word harvest on the combine
Title: Waltner: A word harvest on the combine Summary: The article traces the history of the combine, a machine used in farming to combine three separate harvesting tasks, reaping, threshing and winnowing, into one process. The origin of the name "combine" is explained as it literally means "combined harvester-thresher." The article discusses how mechanization introduced efficiency, convenience, and speed in farming practices in the 1800s. It also highlights key figures such as Reverend Patrick Bell, Hiram Moore, John Hascall, Cyrus McCormick, John Avery, Hiram Abial Pitts, and J.I. Case who played significant roles in developing different types of combines. The article concludes with how the combine has evolved over time, with the introduction of tractor-pulled combines and self-propelled combines.
Read the full article. AgWeek, Sat Sep 26, 2026 1:00 PM CT 2. 'Room to grow' to meet cattle demand
U.S. Cattle Inventory at its lowest in 75 years; Industry looking for signs of heifer retention and herd growth; Email notifications only sent daily with new matches. This matters because it indicates the demand for cattle is high, which could lead to higher prices for farmers. MI Farm AI can help keep farmers updated on market trends and provide insights into production strategies to maximize profitability.
Read the full article. Iowa Farmer Today, Sat Sep 26, 2026 6:50 AM CT 3. Partnerships unite farm community, country
SUMMARY: The United States remembers the tragic loss of 3,000 Americans, including first responders, in terrorist attacks 25 years ago. In honor of their service, partnerships have been formed between the farm community and country to show support and gratitude for those who risked their lives to keep us safe. The partnerships include events such as fundraisers, community gatherings, and volunteer opportunities. These initiatives bring together people from all walks of life to come together and pay tribute to the fallen heroes. It is a testament to the strength and unity of our nation in times of tragedy.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Sat Sep 26, 2026 6:45 AM CT 4. Gathering seasons begin leisurely
Gathering seasons are underway in Iowa County, Wisconsin, and there's no shortage of activities to enjoy the outdoors. Older farmers like Jerry Davis can take advantage of opportunities such as calling turkeys, listening for ruffed-grouse flushes, detecting walking deer, and taking autumn excursions. The autumnal colors in the morning skies provide a beautiful backdrop for field corn and prairie grasses. Malory, Jerry's great-granddaughter, is learning about the outdoors by picking hen eggs for Nina Miller of Barneveld, Wisconsin.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Sat Sep 26, 2026 10:30 AM CT 5. AgweekTV Full Show: Nohava Ranch, ag leaders recognized, auctioneer training, regenerative chicken
On this week's AgweekTV show, viewers learn about a thriving ranching family that is selling directly to consumers despite threats of imported cheap foreign beef. South Dakota State University honors leaders in agriculture and their communities. The importance of training auctioneers is highlighted as Big Iron showcases some of the best in the business. A unique regenerative method of raising chickens is also discussed, although it is still slow to catch on with producers. Lydia Blume from StormTRACKER provides insights into the winter forecast with El Nino in mind, while the media viewing habits of the public are changing as AgweekTV announces its move away from a broadcast television show.
Read the full article. AgWeek, Sat Sep 26, 2026 5:30 AM CT 6. SIU Researchers Build Robot, AI to Detect Soybean Diseases Before Symptoms Appear
1. SIU researchers are developing a robot and AI models to detect soybean diseases before symptoms appear. 2. The goal is for agricultural machinery companies to create efficient, affordable, and easy-to-use tractor or spray attachments. 3. Illinois is the top soybean-producing state in the US, with 43,000 farmers relying on making a profit from their crops. 4. Soybean prices have increased over the past 20 years but non-land costs have also increased, reducing profit margins for farmers. Factors such as weather, pests, weeds, and diseases impact soybean growth and yield, with many diseases caused by fungi in the soil that spread when it rains and reduce crop yields.
Read the full article. No-Till Farmer, Fri Sep 25, 2026 11:00 PM CT Around the WorldThe world news moving your markets this morning, the same read from Cal's desk that runs on your dashboard. Ukraine's barley export pace lags last year by 45%As of September 25th, Ukraine's barley export pace is lagging behind the previous year by 45%. Ukrainian wheat exports totaled 2.486 million tons, down 1.682 million tons, or nearly 40.3%, year-on-year. Since the beginning of the new marketing year, Ukraine has exported 0.2 thousand tons of rye and 431 thousand tons of barley, down 360 thousand tons from a year earlier. Ukrainian corn exports totaled 1.884 million tons, up 907 thousand tons, or more than double the volume exported a year earlier. In addition to corn and wheat, Ukraine also exported 7.8 thousand tons of flour, equivalent to 10.4 thousand tons in grain terms, down 6.1 thousand tons from the previous year. These statistics indicate that Ukraine's grains and pulses exports have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and other factors, such as rising competition from other countries and changes in consumer demand. UkrAgroConsult (via world wire). Read the full story.Local ObituariesWe note the passing of neighbors across your area, gathered from the local papers this morning. Our thoughts are with their families. Gjerdahl, SandraMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Jane PerkinsMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Bryan SchultzMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Lagerquist, JoanneMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.PANKRATZ, Rheaume, TheresaMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Harris, RichardMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Cal's ReceiptCal's Receipt is the running ledger of every call this desk made for your farm, what was at stake, whether you followed it, and what it actually saved (or cost). Append-only, and every dollar cites its source. You will find it on your farm Dashboard, on the Farm Services desk. Open the Dashboard from the button at the bottom of this Brief. Today in Farm SafetyFalls from bins, wagons, and equipment are among the most common serious farm injuries. Keep three points of contact climbing on and off the tractor, face the steps, and clean mud off your boots first. Most of these falls happen on the way down, in a hurry. Source: National Ag Safety Database; NIOSH agricultural injury surveillance. Cal The Coffee ShopToday in Farm History, Barbed wire patented 1874On November 24, 1874, Joseph Glidden of DeKalb, Illinois received U.S. Patent No. 157,124 for barbed wire. Within ten years, the open range was fenced from Iowa to Texas. Crop farmers loved it; cattle drovers did not. Source: U.S. Patent Office; Smithsonian National Museum of American History. [CAL'S QUIZ]
When was DDT released for civilian U.S. agricultural use?
(a) 1935
(b) 1945
(c) 1962
(d) 1972
Answer at the bottom of the Brief. [CAL'S JOKE]
Why does a farmer go to the co-op annual meeting? Two reasons: the doughnuts, and to make sure nobody else gets his doughnut.
The MI Farm AI Desk
Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, your AI Agronomist and Editor in Chief Quiz Answer(b) August 1945, after successful WWII malaria-control deployment. DDT was banned for most U.S. uses in 1972 after Rachel Carson's 1962 Silent Spring, but it bridged the gap between pre-war arsenicals and modern insecticides. Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service pesticide history; U.S. EPA historical archive.
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The MI Farm Brief is the independent daily farm intelligence brief that earns zero when you buy inputs. Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen is the editorial persona of the MI Farm AI desk, the AI-orchestrated production team that produces this Brief every working morning. The Monthly Receipt is signed by the Founder, MI Farm AI. Honest. Independent. Loyal. Transparent. The HILT Covenant.
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Signed by Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, Editor in Chief, The MI Farm AI Desk.