This field is river bottom I am sure it is different soil type than some of your other fields but in a dry year will it yield pretty good still? Or does it not retain moisture well?
It yields very well...and honestly, a little dry weather helps. The primary problem in river bottom is too wet or a lack of tilth. This soil has to "move moisture" in order to work organically and full till. The initial challenge was to get tilth so that it would not stay wet all the time. It has been farmed organically 25+ years with a good rotation. Now that it has tilth, it is a lot more forgiving.
Sorry...but wheres the residue ( corn stalks ) ? When I pick my corn with my New Idea picker the ground is no where to be seen ! After Im finished I have stalks sticking 4ft in the air and the ground is covered ! Any ideas ?
This video was made the spring after the corn crop. We had winter grazed cattle and fed silage! This was also primarily picked with our prototype picker which does a better job of shredding stalks 👍🏻.
Pete, I only own one disc. It is 19 foot. In certain conditions, it will really pull on my 115 hp tractor. In this field, as primary tillage, I might be better of with a heavier/smaller disc. As a general rule, this disc works good with this tractor in most conditions. I would like an 21 foot Massey 820 "rock standard" disc someday...and the bigger tractor to pull it in all conditions! I am also looking for a smaller (14') Massey 730 offset disc.
I do not purchase or use any off-farm fertilizer. 30 years of organic farming, good crop rotation, use of legumes/cover crops, and managed grazing of livestock can give you a soil that is fertile and healthy. The only "inputs" I use are lime and gypsum. You have to watch all my videos to pick up little pieces of HOW I do it. Basically, it is a systems approach and you have to apply all the pieces. We are blessed with naturally fertile wind blown loess soil.
Nice. I farm a few hundred acres of grass hay, corn, soybeans, wheat. I've watched a bunch of your clover videos. I frost seeded some red clover on my winter wheat this year to gain those benefits. Great videos and explanations!
Red clover in wheat is a great step. I hope your clover was inoculated (in order to maximize N fixation). If you have cattle to graze the stubble and run the clover until next spring you will get maximum N-fixation, a potential hay crop, and a soil building cover crop for winter.
Very interresting...enjoy your videos fully
This field is river bottom I am sure it is different soil type than some of your other fields but in a dry year will it yield pretty good still? Or does it not retain moisture well?
It yields very well...and honestly, a little dry weather helps. The primary problem in river bottom is too wet or a lack of tilth. This soil has to "move moisture" in order to work organically and full till. The initial challenge was to get tilth so that it would not stay wet all the time. It has been farmed organically 25+ years with a good rotation. Now that it has tilth, it is a lot more forgiving.
Sorry...but wheres the residue ( corn stalks ) ? When I pick my corn with my New Idea picker the ground is no where to be seen ! After Im finished I have stalks sticking 4ft in the air and the ground is covered ! Any ideas ?
This video was made the spring after the corn crop. We had winter grazed cattle and fed silage! This was also primarily picked with our prototype picker which does a better job of shredding stalks 👍🏻.
How to big is the disc that you pulling
Pete, I only own one disc. It is 19 foot. In certain conditions, it will really pull on my 115 hp tractor. In this field, as primary tillage, I might be better of with a heavier/smaller disc. As a general rule, this disc works good with this tractor in most conditions. I would like an 21 foot Massey 820 "rock standard" disc someday...and the bigger tractor to pull it in all conditions! I am also looking for a smaller (14') Massey 730 offset disc.
The offset disc you be burning more moisture on on the first time
Generally, in our climate (38+ inch annual precip) we are trying to burn moisture in the spring!
What do you use for fertilizer?
I do not purchase or use any off-farm fertilizer. 30 years of organic farming, good crop rotation, use of legumes/cover crops, and managed grazing of livestock can give you a soil that is fertile and healthy. The only "inputs" I use are lime and gypsum. You have to watch all my videos to pick up little pieces of HOW I do it. Basically, it is a systems approach and you have to apply all the pieces. We are blessed with naturally fertile wind blown loess soil.
Geiger Farm where are you located?
Nice. I farm a few hundred acres of grass hay, corn, soybeans, wheat. I've watched a bunch of your clover videos. I frost seeded some red clover on my winter wheat this year to gain those benefits. Great videos and explanations!
Kansas
Red clover in wheat is a great step. I hope your clover was inoculated (in order to maximize N fixation). If you have cattle to graze the stubble and run the clover until next spring you will get maximum N-fixation, a potential hay crop, and a soil building cover crop for winter.