For our future farmers is why I try to keep these goals in mind
1. Keep my soil covered
2. Keep a living root system growing as much as possible
3. Do as little tillage as possible
Son: what do you think of the yield monitors now that i figured out these maps
Dad: nice picture
Son: but it shows us all the poor spots in the field just look at that spot on the east side
Dad: don't need a picture for that, its been there for years. should of just asked me
When some at the age of 96 passed away you mourn but also celebrate a long life. A friend just lost a 2 yr old. That could not be more sad. A life not given a chance to live. No parent should ever have to bury a child that young.
R.I.P young one
No.1 has been farmed notill/striptill with covercrops for almost 20yrs. No.2 is the farm next door which i just pickup same soil type just different management. Ive got my work cut out.
Walk into a car dealer
Me: thinking about buying plain basic pickup
Salesman: you should really think about getting one with more options. Better trading value
Show saleman my old truck
Me: would I get more for this if it had power windows
Saleman: no ๐
It seems that people tend to hunker down in their own silos of ideas. this is true in agriculture too. Organic or no till or conventional. there lots to learn form different system and to ignore them would be silly. the picture down below is where i think the best system sits
So this is how my day started. Guy ran the stop sign straight into the tractor tire and then bounced down the planter units. Hopely get a loaner planter sometime on monday.
On to plan B
I'm the dreamer/farmer who thinks about healthier soils. I have the wild ideas (maybe crazy) I realized that I need science and agronomy to help validate what I do along with mechanical and financial advice as well. I Can not do this alone. It takes a community to solve this
One of the reasons I'm exploring perennial covers in a cropping system is weed control. The cropping row had a band of herbicide applied. The inter row where the clovers are had no herbicides. Where both white and subterranean clovers were well established weed control was good
I added up everyone who committed to donate on twitter to
@BrainTumourFdn
the total is over $1700. Thank you every one I now have a pink header wagon that has a really good story to go with it This will help
#kickbobtothecurb
this out of a some stillness on Twitter
@KelseyBanks
I get it. Not everyone is comfortable planting into green cover crops but I like what is. Cover crops keeping the soil covered and roots holding it together. Samples of soil from just a few feet apart
I am a farmer trying my best to improve my soil. I try things outside the norm. I welcome any questions and discussion about what I'm doing or what failed. I work with research, extension and farmers (at all levels). Its important to me that we include everyone to figure it out
funny how things suddenly remind you of someone. the marks on the door of the barn were made by my dads wedding ring (I don't wear one). he's been gone 10 yrs now but those marks remind me of him every once in a while
(1) So I'm not much new years resolutions and this really isn't one. I've decided to go back and farm on my own after working with a neighbor for 10 years. It was a good relationship but our interests and goals for our farms were diverging.
My dads birthday would of been today. He's been gone for 9 years now. For those of you who still have the opportunity to farm with their fathers enjoy it. Even if its frustrating at time. I miss his option on what I'm doing
I was 20 and working off the farm when they took this picture. I had lots goals and ideas. I had no idea I would of gone down the trail I did. I didn't meet all my goals but I did achieve things I never expected
there is a lot of bickering over gmo vs non gmo organic vs conventional cropping. its the first rule of business that the costumer is always right. if there is a demand for a product we as producers should see if we can supply it at a profit. which ever system
I know I say this all the time but boy do I like the cover crop strip till combination. Its frost seeded red clover into winter wheat going into corn next spring. Going to play with some N rates to see what the clover brings to the table
Wife: well both kids are moved out for now. How do you feel?
Me: sad
Wife: do you miss the kids already
Me: no.... now every time some is out of place or not right in the house I'll be the only on to blame
Wife: sigh
Plan B
This is scaring the crap out of me......
On the road.
Next to the house.
No insecticide.
No fungicide.
Non gmo
No herbicide
This may make me the laughing stock of the area if this doesn't work
#lunaticfringe
I'm a farmer who's become very passionate about soil. I've been fortunate to work and learn from some of the most innovative and creative people when it comes to soil. I realized this is a collaborative effort between farmers, scientists and industry. Not a solo journey
The difference is not as obvious in the picture but the wheat in the clover is looking a bit greener than without. No idea what's going on but it give optimism for the perennial system again. We'll see what the yield tells us
Cover crops between the rows may save me some water this year. Even a thin layer of cereal rye helps
1) corn striptill with covers =36ยฐC
2) no till corn =47ยฐC
3) bean with rolled C rye =44ยฐC
4) conventional til corn =51ยฐC
All fields were similar soils with in 500 ft
Granted its an early spring and the rye is growing really well. This is 40 lbs of rye seeded after early harvest sugarbeets and just look at what those roots are doing to this clay loam soil
How does a farmer measure success?
By how many acres he farms?
By his line of equipment?
By the yield of his crops?
I seldom meet the top of any of these. Hard to feel successful some days
We are spending billions of dollars to figure out what's on Mars and how to get there. Shouldn't we first be spending the money on how our own soils function and the complexity of life in it first. Its not like we have a complex soil on Mars to move to next
@zaruk
I don't believe organic as it is generally done today is sustainable. this is where I think we should be ๐using all tools available to agricultural but only when absolutely necessary. unfortunately there's no premium for that
This perennial covercrop project has been quite a rollercoaster ride. Start off optimistic one week to almost calling it quits a few days later & then back Today brought optimism again. Still lots of issues but the corn looks much better then expected. See what next week brings
Going of the grid for the next 5 days canoeing the yukon river. No phone no wifi no email no Twitter.....
If you don't hear from me in a week the bears got me
Phone rings.....
Happens to be a wrong number.....
Ended up having a 5 min chat about flail mowers and the weather. No idea who it was but he was a farmer.
Today is remembrance day. A day to remember all those who gave there life for our freedom. It brings a tear to my eye to think so many died so my family in holland could continue to live their lives
Thank you
May no one ever have to give so much again
Sugarbeets going in today. Last year I notilled (not by choice) beets in the field next to this. This year l left test strips of notill so I can compare and see if there's a difference between striptill
This is the balance i struggle. Economic return off a farm as apposed to sustainability. If left to purely economics we would deplete our resource. Its finding the balance that's difficult. I am willing to give up some economics for my soil
Feels a bit like I'm quitting by going away from organic but I order to this correctly in need to clean up my mistakes to go it organically would require intensive tillage. I don't want to go there. Personally I believe a bit of herbicide is better then a lot of tillage
Looking at these soys in the organic row mow system. There not perfect or perfectly clean but not disappointing. Going back to organicish to fix up my mistakes. I think this will work organic you just need to start out right from the start
I have not post many pictures this spring. I've had lots of things turn out less then desirable which makes it hard to post. I should though. I dont want to leave the illusion that regenerative agricultural is perfect. Thing can and do go wrong
When it come to agricultural research do we discount data because it goes against the way we want to farm or take a good hard look at it and see how it can be implemented? there is a lot of good work being done out there that challenges how we do things. don't close your eyes