put down a starter for the seed.”
Rush uses Keeton seed firmers
with fertilizer capability, so once
the seed sprouts it’s ready to start
growing.
“Before, we’d just go out and
scatter (fertilizer) out and hope it
hit the seed,” Rush notes. “This
way the plant doesn’t have to hunt
for the fertilizer. It’s right where it
needs to be.”
Rush works hard to take care
of the land he farms and leave
more soil in place. He wants to
do a better job raising crops,
too, because he knows good
management pays in the long
run. “Our yields have went up
since we started no tilling, and we
have increased our water holding
capacity,’ he says.
farming for the future
Even though he’s a young farmer,
Rush can see how much the
industry has changed in his short
tenure.
“We’re using different
chemistry on chemicals,” he
explains. “And, we’re not working
the ground. We have larger
equipment now with GPS (global
positioning systems). You can work
longer hours.”
Yield mapping is also new to
Rush. That technology helps him
determine how much fertilizer
needs to go on different areas of
a field. And, it helps him manage
drainage areas.
Rush realizes the technology is
all a part of helping him be a more
efficient producer. He keeps a lot
of his farm records on his phone.
Then, he can sit down at night
at the computer and analyze his
operation.
Technology has upped his
communication game, too. “I have
better communication with my
fertilizer guys, my chemical guys.
Better communication with my
dad and my wife, too.”
Improved communication
helps Rush avoid down time in
the field. And, technology helps
him track the grain markets and
monitor when to sell.
Rush grows seed beans for
Andrews Farm and Seed in Avilla,
while corn is marketed through a
variety of local avenues. Some stays
on farm to feed his own chickens
and cattle, while much of the rest
of the crop is sent to poultry feed
mills in southern Missouri.
building a relationship
The young, beginning farmer is
quick to credit his relationship
with FCS Financial for helping
keep him on track. “I like to
have a good relationship with my
lender,” Rush explains. “I can
call him up. We can talk about
farming. We can discuss different
things on what are the best options
for me.”
The fixed rate loan program
offered at FCS Financial has
assisted Rush in planning for his
future, too. “I know what my
payments are going to be for the
next 20 years whenever I take a
loan out,” Rush says. “That has
been one of the deals that has
really helped me. I know how
much it’s going to cost me to raise
a bushel of corn. I’ve got to figure
Tyler Rush has incorporated a small hay operation into his farming enterprise. He
markets alfalfa square bales mostly to local cattlemen. A grapple and bale accumulator
help lessen the need for additional labor at harvest time.
HEARTBEAT | FALL 2018 7