DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- Weather woes continued to complicate farming this week for Tyler Rath, who farms near Belgrade, Minnesota. A wet, dry, scorching, dry and wet again scenario has seeped into almost every decision this summer.

The most recent quandary is dry bean harvest. The yo-yo back and forth of dry and wet led to late pod development and some inconsistent bean maturity. Recent rains have led to further harvest delays.

"I thought we would be done with edible beans by the first week of September," said Rath. "Now it's looking like it may push to the middle of October before we are done, and we'll be combining corn at the same time."

As rains shut down harvesting, Rath turned his attention to sorting out replacement heifers to keep and feeder calves to sell. He does some sales of finished beef halves and quarters, but prices of everything from fuel to feed costs have made direct-to-consumer sales less attractive of late.

In Maryland, Chris Weaver and family have experienced a tightening in their farm-direct beef sales. "I think customers see value in buying directly from us because of the quality and overall taste of local is so much better. However, as family living expenses climb, we are seeing them buy one or two steaks, for example, instead of stocking up," said Weaver, who farms near Finksburg.

Weaver and Rath have been volunteering their time and information this season as part of DTN's View From the Cab series. The diary-like approach to reporting gives the reader a more intimate view of what happens in their respective parts of the country and includes insights into thoughts on rural issues.

This week they talk about how rising family living costs are also a concern for farm families. They give a crop update and tackle the topic of football.

CHRIS WEAVER: FINKSBURG, MARYLAND

Weather is an appropriate topic since Chris Weaver was presenting at Climate Week NYC this week. Sponsored by Climate Group, an international non-profit, the annual event was established to bring together decision-makers and experts shaping capital, policy and markets across sectors and regions.

Weaver was asked to represent farmers at the behest of Holganix, a company with microbial products aimed at soil health and increasing use of carbon by plants.

"The point I've been trying to get across is farmers need to be involved in policy. Carbon credits, for example, aren't just a payment to keep the farmer happy. They help cover the cost of doing all the many things we do to keep the soil healthy."

Weaver, who farms in the Chesapeake Bay region, one of the most highly scrutinized areas with regard to conservation, admits that farmers can be reluctant to change.

"There's little question that many of the things we've been forced to do have in the long run made us better over time," he said. "However, one need only look at other countries to see the cost of regulation has on farmers when they aren't involved in the process. I still want and need the freedom to do what I do best. That means involving farmers more in policymaking discussions."

Weaver expects to start shelling corn this coming week if precipitation events hold off. DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick noted that the area could see a system roll through midweek.

"That should bring through a fairly widespread burst of rain, but the chances afterwards are pretty low," said Baranick. "Even after the system moves through, models don't have much cool air with it. The current forecast has temperatures staying in the 70s, but I expect the forecast to drop a few degrees with the front moving through."

Weaver said his soybeans remain mostly green with just a few leaves starting to show some interveinal coloring. This week he has been evaluating different biologicals with regard to plant health and noticing the beans within pods appear exceptionally large.

"We've been able to reduce phosphorus application this year by using a biological. What we're seeing is it increased potassium in the plant and is influencing seed size," he said.

Walking fields with suppliers is one way Weaver gains insights from discussions about these kinds of biologicals, as well as new hybrids and varieties. He is also watching closely as the crop threads through the combine header.

Harvesting starts around 25% moisture. The 102-day corn will go first.

"The 106-day and older corn still looks green. But as long as we drive slow and keep the combine adjusted, it actually shells better than when completely dry," Weaver said.

Working through the field, he pays attention to plant health and keeps a notepad beside him to write down observations between loads. His yield monitor software allows him to bookmark spots in the field where he might see a concern.

"Maybe it's a fertility thing or a dry hill that needs soil sampled. Maybe it just needs more lime," he noted. "I'm just really paying attention to things that need help or that look exceptional and try to figure out the why of it."

One thing he's paying particular attention to this year is watching for differences in wildlife damage. Some hybrids, he's noticed, aren't as appealing to deer. Overall stalk strength is also noted.

Immediately following corn harvest, stalks get crimped and a cover crop planted. Weaver previously seeded oats, radish and crimson clover into standing corn by drone, but has been frustrated with the results.

"I do not think we're getting good enough seed-to-soil contact with the drone. It's been dry, but I'm not seeing any emergence. So, we're going to direct seed 74 pounds of a triticale, oats and crimson clover mix."

September introduces some uncertainty to Weaver's confidence nearly every year. While he considers himself generally optimistic, the time right before harvest plants elements of doubt.

"I'll almost always tell my wife at least once during September that I've bankrupted the farm. It's a period when we have land payments and equipment payments and don't yet know what the crop will yield, and it starts to weigh on me," he admitted.

By October, the anxiety has generally left and been replaced with relief and renewed enthusiasm. Talking about these feelings and not holding them in is important to helping those around you understand the stress, he noted.

The expense of family living may seem small compared to a new tractor or combine, but fuel costs are eating into budgets, and overall family living expenses bear watching, he said.

"We're not big going-out people. We like being together as a family, and spending time together is our thing," he said. "We are still being more thoughtful about expenditures. We might do one thing, not seven things."

This past week, that one big thing happened when the entire family went to watch Virginia Tech play football against Maryland. With team allegiances split between family members, it was a special day to share and also celebrate his father's birthday.

"Dad and I were the only Maryland fans in the group, and we got clobbered. So, we took a lot of crap about that. Still, it was wonderful," he said.

TYLER RATH: BELGRADE, MINNESOTA

North Dakota State University is Tyler Rath's alma mater. While he doesn't follow the Bisons closely these days, he's proud of their D1 AA football dynasty and current first-place standing in their league. Being a Vikings fan comes with its own drama, and his kids keep him in the loop on all things football.

Over 3 inches of rain fell this past week and resulted in Rath feeling like he's been invited to the mud bowl. It's come with cool temperatures and has mostly halted the navy bean harvest.

DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick said more rain could be on the way for central Minnesota this coming week, especially on Tuesday as a front and system move through.

"If Tyler lucks out, that might be the only significant rainfall event of the week," Baranick said. "A couple of disturbances will come through afterward, but models aren't currently producing much precipitation. Temperatures in the 60s and lows in the 40s make drying more challenging. We could see a bit of cooler air moving through midweek as well. It's not exactly the best harvest weather, but after this moves through, the weather pattern that is promoting storm systems across the country doesn't support a lot of rain chances in the Midwest."

Rath knows he's not alone in the struggle. Edible dry beans are important to this region, and harvest on navy beans has been particularly difficult for many growers.

He said initial pod set was not great due to extreme heat. When rains began again, the beans started to grow a second set of pods.

"The second growth has almost as many beans as the first pod set, and they are extremely uneven. That's leaving growers trying to determine if we should continue to wait it out or just take what we can get," he said, noting that green pods aren't going to make a bean.

"The issue with continuing to wait is that the beans that have been ready for a long time will start to either mold or start to sprout from being wet too long," he said. Pods can also split and lead to shattering losses. Sprouts and mold result in quality docks upon delivery.

It's amazing what one can see from the combine cab. Weed control breaks are an obvious thing to note for subsequent seasons. But Rath said he's more on the lookout for random pieces of old metal or rocks that seem to crop up in edible bean fields.

When it comes to costs, family living expenses are definitely on his radar. "To be fair and honest, I haven't taken a dollar in wage from the farm yet," Rath said. "We've continued to invest everything back into the farm, and we have purchased a piece of land every year since 2018, which has taken a lot of cash to execute.

"Therefore, we live off my wife's salary, and the farm covers any 'expenses' we can," he said. "Health insurance is by far our biggest expense, and we are in the process of trying to find a more affordable provider. You can't afford to be without it, but it is definitely a big cost." His wife is also self-employed, and they have three children on the plan.

Diversification helps buffer some of the crop uncertainties. The farm grows nearly a dozen different crops. And while he likes growing all of them, the Black Angus cattle herd is a favorite enterprise.

Notes about genetic bloodlines and things like calving ease and mothering ability determine whether a heifer is kept back for the herd.

"We look at feet and overall conditioning when they come off pasture. Even the color makes a difference -- I want them black without any off-color brown," he said.

"We've tracked bloodlines for 40 years, so we know lineages to watch for," he added. "My plan is to keep all heifers once our buildings are complete. Then, we'll make our replacement heifer selections after they are bred."

Currently, the farm does limited direct-to-consumer beef sales, and that's reserved for clients who order and pay ahead for bulk orders.

"I'm not looking to expand that portion of our business right now. Currently, the margin just isn't there for the amount of time and effort. For now, I'm just happy to continue to supply those who have come to love our beef," he said.

Pamela Smith can be reached at pameladsmith12@gmail.com

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