Spread the News, the Obi Wan Kanobi of soil and healthy farming comes from Ohio.

It's amazing how few generations it takes to lose these skills. This was the way it was done years ago. This is the landscape that generated the "golden years" of upland bird numbers. Having growing plants on the soil all 4 seasons of the year eliminates those months where only bare soil or sterile "roundup killed" stubble persists as the only habitat available. There are so many positives, but it takes work and constant monitoring. Too easy to call the CO-OP and have 15 fields sprayed while you are at the neighbor's auction.
 
Good article but I tend to notice that these guys that are building soil always have old equipment and have animals running loose around the farmstead. In other words how to we turn the heads of the high end run & gun producers to do nothing other than build soil?

You'll never sell this guy to Big Ag. He can't use any of their products.
 
UGUIDE said:
Good article but I tend to notice that these guys that are building soil always have old equipment and have animals running loose around the farmstead. In other words how to we turn the heads of the high end run & gun producers to do nothing other than build soil?

You'll never sell this guy to Big Ag. He can't use any of their products.
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If there are enough of these guys big ag will build what they want.
 
We planted 90 acres of cover crop this fall in silage ground. Next year we signed up with the NCRS to aerial seed cover crop into standing corn in August. I am surprised Chris is not doing this.
 
moellermd said:
We planted 90 acres of cover crop this fall in silage ground. Next year we signed up with the NCRS to aerial seed cover crop into standing corn in August. I am surprised Chris is not doing this.
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Mike, how exactly does this work out as far as the time line goes? You aerial seed in august, then things begin to fill in at what point? Then what's the next step as far as planting your next crop within such a field?

Nick
 
1pheas4 said:
Mike, how exactly does this work out as far as the time line goes? You aerial seed in august, then things begin to fill in at what point? Then what's the next step as far as planting your next crop within such a field?

Nick
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This will be a first for us. The idea is that by planting in aug you get a longer growing season for the cover crop. This would give the tillage radishes longer to grow and work and the legumes longer to fix nitrogen. Then we graze it in the fall. In the spring we will either no-till beans or conventional till beans. Cover crops can do some good things for soil fertility and compaction. These are the things you can try when you are not just farming for pheasants.
 
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