Corn Fed Kansan: Grain sorghum?!?

Fall is a busy time for us. Soybeans to harvest, wheat to drill, corn to shell, cows to bring home, and usually last but not least is grain sorghum harvest. I had a few free hours today so I jumped in the semi truck with Dan and rode along to the field to haul in one of the last loads of grain sorghum for the year.

A honestly didn't know much about grain sorghum (also called milo) until I moved to Kansas. I knew it was grown in a few placed in extreme southern Illinois and was also a "poor man's crop." Milo has a whole different meaning for Kansas farmers. Milo is main crop on many farms here and is utilized every year in our crop rotation.

Fun facts about milo:
1. Kansas and Texas are the top milo producing states, usually switching rank every few years
2. Milo's main uses are livestock feed and biofuels
3. Milo is more drought resistant than corn
4. Milo is a very hardy and dependable crop, meaning yields are usually more predictable
5. Milo is usually planted on more marginal ground making it a good option for some fields

Not so fun facts about milo:
1. I can't explain in words how itchy milo dust is...you just have to trust me on this one.

Milo is usually planted a month or so after corn making it our last crop to harvest. We are finishing November 6 this year which is a pretty average timing. We are very pleased with the yields and will continue relying on milo as an important crop in our rotation.