The Washburns’ Farm

Tried and true nutrition management combined with the adoption of new, innovative practices, is the key to success for Jon and Bryan.

For Jon, Union City, Michigan feels like it’s the same size it was 40 years ago. But the agriculture industry in this small city has changed a lot. You used to be able to drive down Union City Road and see dairy cattle on every farm. Now there are fewer farmers, and most are growing crops instead of raising cattle. One thing that hasn’t changed is the passion Jon has for farming. He thoroughly enjoys working with his son, Bryan, and their trusted retailer testing new products and practices in order to potentially increase ROI and ensure their operation remains successful.

Overhead View

Jon Washburn has been a proud farmer since 1964, and he enjoys this way of life with his son, Bryan, by his side. Together they grow corn, soybeans, and specialty seed corn across 2,400 acres of land in Union City, Michigan.

It’s the “all-day access pass” to the outdoors and the ability to be his own boss that drew Jon to this career, and now that he is semi-retired, it still gives him a purpose to get up and get going in the morning. While Bryan manages the field work and the hiring, Jon handles the paperwork.

When asked what his favorite thing is about farming Jon said, “It’s nice to have someone you can work with and get along with every day. It’s enjoyable. It’s honestly hard to describe. I guess you could say it’s a love.”

The Washburn’s Field

Made in Michigan

By the Numbers

65 Bu/Ac
AVERAGE SOYBEAN YIELD 2021

114
ACRES IN TEST FIELD

20″
SOYBEAN ROW SPACING

155k
SOYBEAN POPULATION

75 Bu/Ac
TEST FIELD YIELD GOAL

Jon and Bryan started using ammonium sulfate on corn 11 years ago, but they did not start using it on soybeans until six years ago after attending a grower meeting hosted by their retailer, Ceres Solutions. The agronomist leading the meeting spoke about the importance of sulfur on soybeans, which caught their attention. Jon and Bryan first tried AMS mainly on irrigated ground and saw great results. Over the last four years they have been using AMS on all their soybean acres.

This year, their 114-acre test field will include row spacing of 20 inches and population of 155,000 per acre. They anticipate a 10-bu/acre yield improvement over their average 2021 yield of 65 bu/ac.

Meet the Washburn Family

Proper field management has made the Washburns an example to other farmers, inspiring some to try ammonium sulfate on their soybeans.

Keeping it in the Family

Jon and his wife, Velma, got married in 1970, and she has played a pivotal role in taking care of her family and farm, everything from milking cows to working a full-time job for extra income. Jon and Velma have four kids together (two girls and twin boys). Bryan’s twin brother Bruce helps out on the farm along with two other part-time employees. Jon and Bryan also work closely with their Ceres Solutions rep, Kala Pierucki. They conduct their own soil sampling, then Kala will send the samples to the lab. Once the results are collected, Kala will connect with Bryan to walk through the data and determine which fields need variable rate and which need blanket application. Kala also works with them to discover other opportunities that could benefit the Washburn farm.