Stoy Farms

10/27/2023

10/26/2023

We finished soybeans today, and we are 25% finished with corn!

10/25/2023

"My son watched you guys do the whole field tonight on Metz Rd, he was in Heaven!"

10/24/2023

There's another week to submit your photo for Spot Stoy Farms! All you have to do it get a photo of anything Stoy Farms and tag Stoy Farms or comment in any of the Spot Stoy Farms posts. We hope you take a minute to check out the great photos we've received so far!

10/23/2023

FAQ Friday!

We also drive all equipment on the road to all fields! The Michigan ground oftentimes has different weather compared to our local weather. This has allowed us to continue planting or harvesting in Michigan when the ground is too wet near home!

10/20/2023

We continue to pray for a safe and bountiful harvest for all!

10/18/2023

Harvest Update: This harvest is very challenging with crop moisture being high. The harvest crew has to switch corn to beans a lot to find something dry enough. We have a great crew that adapts to adversity. Yields are still highly variable.

10/16/2023

We're back for another great week of harvest and are reminded of our mission when the days are long this time of year!

10/15/2023

If you see farm equipment on the road this , slow down! These slow-moving vehicles often travel at speeds no greater than 25 mph. 🚗🚜⚠️

🔎 Find more tips to safely navigate around farm equipment → https://bit.ly/3Rd2ZXf

10/13/2023

Harvest Update

Corn moisture is finally beginning to drop, so it's less time we have to spend drying it at the farm! Early corn basis has given a good incentive to ship out as fast as we can harvest. Yields are all over the place because of different weather conditions throughout the area during the growing season. We have 23% of our crop harvested!

10/12/2023

Happy National Farmer's Day to the Stoy Farms Team!

This is a day to honor and thank all of the hardworking farmers who plow, sow, grow, and harvest to feed our nation. We primarily rely on farmers to get fresh food on our tables during these uncertain times. Let’s pay tribute to the men, women, and families who put food in the grocery stores and on our tables every day.

10/11/2023

Thank you Sharon Johnson for all of the goodies you delivered last week!

10/10/2023

We've seen some really great Stoy Farms logo finds in the first week of SPOT STOY FARMS! You have the entire month of October to get your photo entered!

If you see a Stoy Farms logo anywhere in October, take a photo, post it on social media and tag us! Look for pickup trucks, semi trucks, tractors, combines, and people with the logo! The more unique, the better! One winner will be randomly chosen on November 1st and will receive Stoy Farms gear and $250 to go to the non-profit organization of your choice!

10/09/2023

We all enjoyed our day off yesterday, now we’re back at it on this beautiful fall Monday!

“By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day, he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy because on it, he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” -Genesis 2:2-3

10/07/2023

It’s a beautiful day at Stoy Farms!

📷: Kevin Stoy

10/06/2023

Harvest Update:

Harvest has been a normal pace, meaning slow as the crops aren’t quite dry enough. Summer weather the last two weekends has really sped maturity along. Look for better progress this week. The slow harvest pace is allowing for some early harvest premium that we are taking advantage of.

Photo credit: Tyler Bryan

10/05/2023

If you see a Stoy Farms logo anywhere in October, take a photo, post it on social media and tag us! Look for pickup trucks, semi trucks, tractors, combines, and people with the logo! The more unique, the better!

10/04/2023

See that slow moving combine?

We don’t like driving it on the road anymore than you like following it.

But it’s necessary.

The land we farm is not in one giant piece.
Instead, it’s like a quilt - there are squares and rectangles in different locations that make up our livelihood.

We only transition when we need to. Fuel is expensive, and this isn’t a quick job, you know?

See that pickup truck behind the combine? This one is pulling a 30 foot corn head or soybean head. I’m the one driving this equipment.

I’m taking care to make careful turns and watching for mailboxes 😬. My kids might be in the backseat. Farming can be a family affair.

See that UPS driver and blue SUV following me?

They haven’t been able to get around me. We are going 15-20 mph but they are patiently following behind our convoy.

I appreciate these people. The ones who keep everyone on the road safe. Who keep calm and know harvest is only a season.

I’ll give them a wave as a thank you. I’m turning onto a different road soon and they can be on their way.

Thank you to those of you working together with us to keep the roads safe this fall.

We see you, and we appreciate you. 🚜💚

10/01/2023

If you see a Stoy Farms logo anywhere in October, take a photo, post it on social media and tag us! Look for pickup trucks, semi trucks, tractors, combines, and people with the logo! The more unique, the better! One winner will be randomly chosen on November 1st and will receive Stoy Farms gear and $250 to go to the non-profit organization of your choice!

09/29/2023

09/27/2023

It takes a village!
The crew is filling up the parking lot this time of year!

09/20/2023

Harvest has started very slow for us, which is expected. Grain moisture is always very high this early in the season. We are thankful to have time to get back in the groove of harvest since it has been 9 months! We’re trying to ship some early premium grain bids to the elevator. We have a great crew to work with and everyone just seems to click. More updates to come as the season progresses!

09/19/2023

We are starting to harvest corn. Do you know what one bushel of corn can be used for?

Credit: Texas Farm Bureau

09/18/2023

Today is the 1st Day of Harvest 2023 at Stoy Farms! Check out some of the team!

09/14/2023

Harvest should start on the first of next week, about one week later than planned. The corn will be dried and shipped out right away to fill local demand before the full swing of harvest begins. Yields are expected to be good but not expected to set any records. We will keep you posted as the harvest progresses!

09/12/2023

The team at Stoy Farms came together last week for lunch and their annual pre-harvest meeting. The owners spent time reminding everyone about safety practices during the harvest season.

09/11/2023

Thanks Jeff Leu for capturing this photo Saturday morning! Fall is in the air!

09/08/2023

Farm equipment will be out before we know it! Here are five things you can do when you meet farm equipment on the road.

1. Be alert and cautious. And give large farm equipment and other slow-moving vehicles space.
2. Do not pass if you are in a space designated as a “No Passing Zone” or in any area that is not safe to do so—intersections, bridges and railroad crossings, among others.
3. Make sure the tractor isn’t trying to make a left turn before you pass on the left.
4. Don’t tailgate.
5. Be careful when you do get the chance to pass. Often, farmers will move their equipment over when it is safe to do so.

It can be frustrating, but those farmers are just trying to get to and from their job. Only it’s a little different. Their office is that tractor you’re stuck behind. Their hours are likely sun up to sun down, and they’re trying to beat whatever Mother Nature is throwing their way.

But they get it. They know 25 miles-per-hour isn’t the fastest or most ideal speed. They understand you have places to be, deadlines to meet, and families to see. They can relate.

But one accident. One moment. One day. All could be life-changing.

So slow down, and enjoy some good tunes on the radio, catch up on a podcast or listen to an audio book. Being behind a slow-moving vehicle will only add a little extra time to your commute. But being a responsible and courteous driver could save your life and the farmer’s.

Source: www.texasfarmbureau.org

09/07/2023

Crop Update:

If it seems you are seeing irrigation pivots running later in the season than usual, here is why!

The recent heat has accelerated the crops maturing. Crops are very determined to make seeds/grain. As the crop encounters stress, it will sacrifice a part of itself to reproduce, even if that’s grain. Corn continues to add yield until kernels are half milk line. Beans will continue to add yield until 70% of the pods are yellow. For these reasons, we have been running all the irrigation we can. The earliest maturity corn we have is half milk line and will be ready for harvest in about two weeks. Our latest maturity corn still has over a month of grain that can be added. Beans are similar: 2-4 weeks of time left to add yield.

09/05/2023

It is the smallest piece of equipment at Stoy Farms, but probably the most appreciated! Now that September is here, we are making final preparations to get in the fields for ! A clean shop makes all the difference!

09/04/2023

Happy Labor Day, as we pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers!

09/01/2023

Crop Update:

The days keep getting shorter; fall is just around the corner. Beans are just beginning to show some leaves turning. Corn disease is increasing, but doesn’t seem to be a concern. We are likely done spraying any fungicides. We are concerned about dryness and heat affecting grain fill. This crop needs to finish strong.

Photo credit: Eyster Photo

08/31/2023

Ian Albert recently joined our team and will be helping us through harvest. During high school, Ian was part of a construction trade program. After graduation, he worked on farms in North Dakota and near his hometown of Napoleon, MI. Ian enjoys tractor pulls, camping, hunting and fishing when he isn't farming.

08/31/2023

Grain bins are built from the top down. The first rings built are the top two, and then the roof is assembled on top of those first two rings. It is much easier to build a roof from the ground level than 60 feet up in the air! After the roof is assembled, the bin jackers attach eight hydraulic jacks around the perimeter of the bin on the inside. They are attached to the finished sheets and then, in unison, are used to lift the bin up and install the next ring of sheets. The jacks are then moved down to the bottom sheet, and the process is repeated until the bin is finished, which is 24 rings in our case.

08/28/2023

Hi and Good Morning from our 6'1" Stoy Farms teammate Tim! As you can see, the corn is looking good and harvest will be here before we know it!

08/24/2023

Here are some pictures from a bin replacement we just completed. The original bin #11 was built in 1998. The roof was damaged several years ago, causing structural damage, and the aeration floor was failing too. It became
more cost effective to replace the whole bin as repair the roof and floor. The new bin #11 has about 40,000 bushels more storage than the old one. The Stoy crew built the first bin, and the new one was built by a crew working for Custom
Ag, Coldwater, The Sumneys.

08/22/2023

Video #2 and completion of a new bin going up!

08/22/2023

Video #1 of a new bin going up at Stoy Farms!

07/05/2023

"We continue to get nice rains that fill in dry pockets. We’ve had lots of problems that can show up in the crop and did. Amazingly as we get rain those problems are reduced. We are very optimistic about our crop. Things change quick but for today it is well!"
-Kevin Stoy