May 2023 Energy News

May 03, 2023


Propane Tank

May 2023

Well, my snowmobiles, snow thrower, winter clothes, salt and shovels are all put away until they’re needed again in about 230 days. I know no one wants to think about next winter but our propane contracts will be mailed out in June. Once again, those who contracted last year came out money ahead as propane prices this past winter exceeded the contract price. I lock my propane price in every year because I know after 32 years in this business that propane prices typically increase during the winter months. You can almost set your watch by it.

If you are going to be installing a garden, planting a tree, putting in a fence or doing any other project that requires you to dig up your yard, please give us a call first if it is anywhere near the area your propane line can possibly be to prevent damage. Diggers Hotline will only detect the utilities coming to your home. They won’t detect any electrical or telephone lines running to outbuildings without a charge. They won’t mark the propane line without a charge either. If you need us to tell you where your propane line is, please give us a call. Propane lines are typically cut on weekends when us do-it-yourselfers are active. It can be an expensive endeavor to get us out there on a weekend if we weren’t called to mark the propane line in advance.  

While we’ll all be busy with our spring projects, the energy division will be busy trenching in lines, setting tanks and performing service on propane systems. You may also see them at your house leveling the tank or recording regulator dates. Remember, gas regulators have a shelf life like all other products. If yours is over 25 years old, it should be replaced so that it doesn’t fail. When it does fail, if your luck is like mine it will be on the coldest night of the year and it will involve an expensive service call.

For the 10 people (including my mom) who read my newsletter article, you know how I’ve been sounding like a broken record on the water heater incentive. One of the last things I was involved with before my term as the president of the Wisconsin Propane Education and Research Council expired was expanding the program. 

This program is called the Safe Appliance Installation Rebate. Not only did WiPERC increase the rebate amount for propane water heaters to $500 but WiPERC is now offering $300 for propane fueled dryers, fireplaces and kitchen stoves/cooktops. To read more, search for Wisconsin Propane Education and Research Council, click on WiPERC Safe Appliance Installation Program Rebate and then download the rebate program packet. Make sure you snap a photo of the old appliance data plate if you’re replacing an appliance. And make a copy of the bill because WiPERC will need that. You’ll also need to contact your local Premier Cooperative energy location so that we can do a leak test on your system and fill in our data. It's a pretty sweet deal.   

I’ve had the honor of serving with several soldiers who were killed in action. Memorial Day is their day. If you can’t get to a ceremony honoring those who died in service to their country, take a moment to reflect on their sacrifice and the sacrifices of their families. A toast in remembrance would be appropriate. And enjoy the holiday.   

Tim Lease

Division Manager

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Focusing on Plant Nutrition at V5
After your corn crop gets to emergence and the weather conditions are cooperating, it develops rapidly, completing a growth stage approximately every three days. By the V5 stage, corn plants have put on significant root mass, making it an ideal time to focus on plant nutrition and stress reduction to maximize yields. Let’s take a look at 4 early-season management strategies to support your developing crop and maximize your return per acre.    
May 03, 2023

As I write this the last week of April, we still have a couple of nights of sub-freezing temperatures to deal with, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing down our agronomy locations that are now entering their busiest time of the year. Long days and short nights can be the norm this time of year for our agronomy division and our producer members as they work to get this year’s crop in the ground. This is a great reminder to please pay special attention over the next couple of months to farm machinery pulling in and out of the fields and wide loads coming around the next corner or over the next hill. Whether you are in your car on your way to work, or in the tractor moving to the next field, never assume the other person sees you. Slow down and be extra careful. 

Apr 24, 2023
Rocket Seeds PMZ Dry is a dry seed nutritional with a patent-pending formulation (1-10-0, 8% Zn, 2% Mn) designed to improve early root growth and plant vigor. An excellent talc and graphite replacement, its unique nutritional package creates a longer, more developed root system. The product’s distinct formulation adds agronomic value, while simultaneously improving seed flow through the planter. PMZ Dry addresses common challenges in the early stages of crop growth by improving resistance to early season cold and water stress. Not using starter when planting and worried about seedling vigor and emergence.  If you answered yes, consider using PMZ Dry from Rocket Seeds.