Variation in Final Tillage Practice

I sampled today a bit Northwest of Carlinville.  One of my interesting observations was in tillage practice to plant soybeans.  One customer had done tillage after the last big rain and planted soybeans.  The other planted in stale seedbed.  Both were in 15 inch rows.  I saw no difference in emergence.  Weeds may be a day or 2 ahead on the stale seedbed.  Soybean emergence was ok but not great with either practice.  Again I am not sure if it is the treated seed. 

Soil moisture was still adequate and in some cases excessive on poorly drained soils.  The surface in the stale seedbed had a thick hard crust, but plenty of moisture below that,  The tilled soils were dry a little deeper.  Yes we would still welcome a bit of rain because corn is rolling leaves.  Evapo-transpiration in the big corn is taking a good bit of moisture right now.  Some moisture would help the corn develop a better root system. 

I visited the earliest planted field that I know of and it will be tasseling in 10 days to 2 weeks.