Ag 101 Week 35

They Have Agronomists In Canada Too

This week we’re going to hear from Luc Bernard, all the way from Canada. Luc is the second of the up and coming agronomists featured in Week 35 of the Ag 101 52 Weeks of Agronomy Series.

I meant him on Instagram as well as Jordyn from last week. I posted on social media the following graphic

Luc replied with “My soil prof always told us soil is sexy!”

Not that I disagree with Luc and his professor. However, I find far too often people focus on the ‘sexy’ part of the soil and not the actual management of it. I’ve said often that soil health is the overall concept, but soil fertility is where the real magic happens. That is where you take a soil beyond being sexy and make it profitable.

Since Luc was one of the first to comment on the post, I reached out to him to get his take on soil health vs. soil fertility.

Here’s what he had to say-

When Monica asked me earlier this week for my thoughts on soil fertility vs. soil health, I was not sure where to start. However, during my never-ending commutes between fields, it all came together.

First off, my name is Luc Bernard, and I work for 4R agronomy in the Southwestern region of Manitoba, Canada’s slough as I like to think of it. Much of the waterways in the Canadian prairies feed our watersheds, which includes around 110,000 lakes (yes, you read that right).

Our focus is on crop planning, fertility planning, and in-season scouting. Our clients grow wheat, barley, oats, rye, alfalfa, canola, soybeans, corn, dry beans, peas, and quinoa. I am also a partner in the family farm, where we use a cell grazing system to run 180 cow/calf pairs and grasser calves.

Alas, we can talk about soil fertility and soil health. Here when I see that statement, it can be complementary, but also exclusive. Fertile soils can be healthy, healthy soils can be fertile (duh), but healthy soils can be infertile, and all of the above can be unhealthy.

I’ll be real quick about soil fertility, five steps:

1. test your soils

2. Plan your fertility specifically for the next crop 

3. Fertilize appropriately 

4. Don’t guess too much (it’s too expensive)

5. Profit!

Now let’s move on to soil health. In a parsimonious way, healthy soil is one that can grow a profitable crop. Plain and simple. When we see plain black dirt all growing season, there's a problem.

Like, I mean, even weeds should be able to grow there! Here are a few unhealthy symptoms that we deal with in our soils.

Compaction is an unhealthy characteristic that we often stumble upon on broadacre agriculture, as heavy machinery often passes over the same areas over and over again. Tillage can only go so far to break up the compacted soil, and that creates a hard pan below the tillage layer. This prevents roots from penetrating into moisture on dry years and prevents water from infiltrating on a wet year. This limits our yield potential and essentially wastes every input you apply to those acres. Potential solutions involve deep tilling the hardpan or planting tillage radishes to break the hardpan and increase porosity. Some producers have also adopted CTF (or controlled traffic farming), where you strictly stay within the same wheel tracks. I mean, everything stays in the same track. Seeder, sprayer, combine, grain cart, everything. In fine soils, this can pay dividends.

Salinity is another issue we deal with in our soils. Often farmers wrongly perceive this as a soil problem when it’s a water problem. We get lots of water here during wet years, and it usually drains poorly in localized areas, this water often carries salts, and it leeches and settles into those areas. Most crops tend to be sensitive to high salt levels; this tends to stunt them or prevent them from establishing altogether. This often allows salt tolerant (and quite herbicide-tough) weeds like kochia to establish and become a problem. Solutions to this include tile draining those areas to let the water to move without settling in and evaporating. In dry years, the salt levels only become higher as there isn't any moisture to “water it down.” Some crops like canola or barley can handle some salinity. We often seed problem areas into saline tolerant forages so we can slowly harvest the salts in the form of hay.

The cheapest way to deal with salinity - put it in hay

Wind and water erosion, as well as herbicide residues, are other symptoms of unhealthy soil. These can also be caused or exacerbated by the amount of moisture a field receives (or does not receive). Keeping tillage to only when necessary, same as herbicide applications help mitigate this. Robust crop rotation helps as well.

Ag 101 Week 34

Meet the Next Generation of Agronomists

I’m taking the next couple weeks off from writing.

1.      I’m not 20 anymore and pulled my hamstring acting like I was. Does it affect my writing? No. Was I hoping it might make my writing better? Yes. What it does mean is that sitting at my desk any more than I have to has become painful and I need to face the fact that if I don’t take care of it now, it will only get worse. I’m referring to my hamstring. The writing, that’s a constant work in progress.

2.      I have taken on more clients and need time to focus on that aspect of my business as well. Writing can sometimes get in the way.

3.      I have always felt there is a bigger picture of what I’m doing and one of the ways I know how to achieve that is to include other people’s perspectives and ideas.

4.      Last but not least, our daughter starts high school this year. In two weeks, I have to be more prepared for ninth grade than she does. I’m the teacher.  I haven’t even gone up to the attic to find all the books I need let alone gotten a schedule ready for her. I need a couple of weeks to get things in order so I can be useful in that part of my life as well.

I’m handing the next two weeks in the 52 Weeks of Agronomy Series over to two very capable much younger than me up and coming agronomist. Both wrote about two different aspects of agronomy, and I’ve enjoyed reading what they each had to say.

This week we’ll hear from Jordyn Bush.

She’s a junior majoring in agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Her career goals are to help humanity through agriculture and preserve our environment in the process. She spends most of her free time riding and showing her two horses, Ty and Monkey, traveling, and enjoying the outdoors through activities like hiking and kayaking. 

I meant Jordyn on Instagram. She had been featured in a publication Inver Hills News. When I read the article, I immediately related to her and asked if she would want to write a piece for the Ag 101 52 Weeks of Agronomy. I’m glad she said yes.

You can read that article here

https://news.inverhills.edu/blog/jordy-bush-agronomist-of-the-future/

You can follow along with her adventures at Instagram here

https://www.instagram.com/dieselxdarlin/?hl=en

Here is the piece she wrote for Week 34 of The Ag 101 52 Weeks of Agronomy Series

Finding an Internship That Doesn’t Exist

By Jordyn Bush

               Finding the pot of gold at the end of the collegiate rainbow is tough… especially when you get there and the pot is empty or full of coins you just might not want. What do you do when you get there? After spending thousands of dollars in tuition (or acquiring loans to do so), should you have to settle? Absolutely not.

               Interns have a stereotype: get the coffee, do the dirty work, come early, stay late, work for free! It seems that each industry has its own standards for interns. The agricultural industry tends to pay interns since we are valuable workers and tend to have enough experience to actually be an asset pretty quickly.

               I got into the ag industry after thinking my biology degree would lead me to a medical career. I got into medicine because I loved science and problem solving, and I really love helping people. What lead me away from medicine was my love of the outdoors. Was the pay I would be getting worth being miserable and stuck inside all day? It wasn’t for me. Growing up alongside horses gave me an appreciation for agriculture, and it seemed to fit my requirements for a career.

               I transferred from community college to University of Wisconsin at River Falls. It’s a small school, just outside the Twin Cities of Minnesota. The focus on campus is everything agriculture, and they’re serious about it. Serious as in “Sorry I’m late to class, prof. I was stuck behind the manure spreader.”

               Wisconsin is a corn and beans state with dairy farms for miles. I appreciate cash crops, but they’re not what I love. I love horses, but I enjoy having them as my hobby and I didn’t want to work directly with them for my career. My advisor in the CAFES (College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences) was a forages expert with an extension appointment. I was required to take CROP263: Forage Crop Production. I really enjoyed the class and through a turn of events ended up on our Forages Quiz Bowl team, and competing at the National SASES (Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences) Meeting with a research project I did on corn silage-and I won.

               I never thought I’d go from a track to medical school to spending hours swooning over grass species in the greenhouse-but here I am. As my first semester of my junior year was starting, everyone was under pressure to find internships for the summer. We have an internship board in our Ag Sci building, as well as an online resource. There was a plethora of internships with big companies for cash crops, research, etc. But again, this is my education. This career is mine for the rest of my life. Would I learn a lot in one of those internships? Sure. Would I work hard? Absolutely. Would it give me the skills I’m looking for? I can’t say for sure.

               Internships are a two-way street. Sure, I’m going to work and be another employee for a company. But I’m also interning to benefit myself. I’m more than willing to do the “dirty work”. I will work 14-hour days, Saturdays, rainy days… whatever it takes. But I will not be treated poorly. As a woman in agriculture, I know that there are some people in the industry who would rather not work with women and I have encountered this firsthand. I decided that if I felt disrespected in an interview, I would not proceed with the process.

               Hours and hours, I would spend scrolling through internship postings. I applied for everything. There were internships I didn’t even want that I would write a cover letter for at 2am, just because I was desperate to get something. I finally got my first interview. This opportunity was with a big ag company-and I mean big. The internship I applied for was not the one I ended up interviewing for, I think due to lack of communication on their end. I was crushed when I didn’t get that internship. In retrospect, I would have been miserable.

               After weeks of not hearing back for all the internships I applied for, I started thinking outside the box. I’ve applied for every feasible internship out there. What about the ones that aren’t out there? So, I went to Google. “Agronomy Internships near me” turned up thousands of results-many of which I’d already applied for. I tried getting more specific: “forage internships near me” …. Nothing. This is when the lightbulb flickered on. “Agricultural Companies near me”. New results! Score.

               I scrolled through hundreds of companies. Each one that didn’t have an internship got a lovely email from me with a resume and cover letter. I sent out at least 100 emails each with a customized cover letter. Pro tip: don’t use a vague cover letter. It’s easy to have your template and edit it to each one. Most companies didn’t even respond. Some guided me through HR to apply. I did. I never heard back.

               There was one particular company that responded. They were a small, family company in the town where my boyfriend is stationed (about 5 hours away). Not only were they an agriculture company, they were a forage company! Which is exactly what I loved. They said that they’d never had an intern before, but had kicked around the idea of doing so. They couldn’t guarantee anything but were willing to do a phone interview.

               Let me tell you… I don’t think I slept the night before. I was so excited.

               A few days later I had my phone interview. It went great, but knowing that there was really no position I was applying for meant it might go nowhere-but now I was on their radar. They discussed among themselves and decided they wanted to meet me, so I went and sat down with the company next time I was in town. I loved the place-they presented themselves extremely well, with one of the cleanest businesses I’ve ever seen. Everyone was kind and seemed to love their job – what a dream place to work!

               We had a get-to-know-you meeting which went smoothly. A couple weeks later I got an email-they decided to do an internship! But I wasn’t a shoe-in. They wanted to open the internship application for others. I was still optimistic, and kept reinstating my interest. I interviewed for a few other “backup” options in the interim, just in case.

               Those couple weeks dragged on. I got two other internship offers that I really didn’t want. But then the day finally came-I got an email in my inbox while walking through the hallway at school. I was so excited to open it I could barely see straight. All I could read was the important stuff, “we’d like to offer you the internship.” I was ready to shout it from the rooftops! And the best part was I created this opportunity for myself. No one handed it to me. No one dangled it out there waiting for it to be snatched up. I sought out this opportunity and made it happen

               Not only am I teaming up with a company that can teach me more about what I love, I can be here as an asset as someone with new viewpoints and freshly out of school. I get to learn about the industry and use the knowledge I’ve gained (and paid for!) to help their existing customers.

               My takeaway from this experience goes back to a lesson a very special person once taught me, “If you don’t ask, you’re always at no.”

               Look for the grey areas in life. Be different. Write 100 cover letters. Find what you love. Passion will trump logic EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Ag 101 Week 33

Soil Health Indicators-

        Quantitative Vs. Qualitative

I’ve spoken before about how I feel there are differences between soil health and soil fertility. If you refer back to week 2, I wrote a short post about it.

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/1/5/ag-101-week-2

This week I want to expand on the two topics and go further into depth about each. Knowing the differences, understanding the concepts, and implementing management strategies specific to your farm is what will set you apart and elevate the level of your farm's capabilities.

Let’s start with soil health. If you recall I’ve likened this to the overall concept that every farmer knows they need to work towards. We have a basic understanding that to grow a high yielding productive crop sustainably as possible the soil we are producing it in needs to be healthy. The benchmarks set are qualitative indicators that are achieved when specific farming practices are used leading to healthy soil. Those indicators include-

Organic Matter (OM)

Physical

Chemical

Biological

The NRCS has developed several great resources outlining and explaining each in great detail

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/health/assessment

A walk around your fields on a regular basis is also a great way to assess the indicators as well. I highly recommend to farmers on any scale to invest the time to walk fields with a notebook and a shovel. Yes, I realize technology has come along way from the days when I was scouting on foot and had nothing else but what I could fit in my backpack, however getting out and looking for yourself as often as possible beats any technology we have. On my uncle's farm, he has tracking devices for each cow. It’s a great system and aids him immensely. However, he still invests the time to monitor each animal in case the monitors aren’t functioning correctly for whatever reason. Technology should be used as another layer of management but does not replace the human element of seeing it for yourself.

Here are some field observations for each indicator-

Organic matter-

Color is one of the best field observations for OM. Soils higher in OM will have a darker appearance. On occasion, they will have an earthy smell to them as well.

Physical-

Structure, soil depth, infiltration, and water holding capacity are visible indicators. The soils ability to retain nutrients, water, and be a conducive environment for microbes is dependent on its soil structure. Balanced amounts of different pore spaces and a soil that is workable but not so lacking in stability it just crumbles like sand indicate a healthy soil structure. Often you hear some say your soil should resemble large curd cottage cheese.  

The depth of the soil is an indication of the plants’ potential to establish roots adequate for proper nutrient and moisture uptake and is a function of compaction and plow pan depths. When looking at soil in your field, you can often see plow lines in ground that has been overworked. Using minimal till farming systems ensure less disturbance aiding in healthy microbial populations and supplying adequate oxygen to support a balance of diverse communities.

Chemical-

The chemical indicators include pH, which is directly related to biological and nutrient availability in the soil. Electrical conductivity is an indicator of overall plant growth response, microbial activity, and salt tolerances.  A measure of plant available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) is an indication of potential soil fertility and potential for N and P loss.

Every one to three years you should have a laboratory soil test done for pH, OM, CEC, base saturation, macronutrients, and micronutrients tested.

However, using a pH-electroconductivity meter in the interim is a good idea to monitor soil health in the field. Several meters on the market do an adequate job for field use. They run anywhere from $99-to several hundred dollars. If purchasing one is cost prohibitive, check with your local extension service. Often, extension or conservation district offices have equipment for farmers to borrow for field analysis.

Biological-

The biological health of the soil is indicated by everything from plant growth to the presence of the tiniest of microbe’s unseen to the naked eye and everything in between. Good field indications of a healthy microbial population are the presence of earthworms and in a grazing system Dung Beetles. Something you don’t hear of often, and I think overlooked. Ask any grazer that I’ve walked their fields; I’m usually ignoring them while picking through piles of poo. All though small in size they make up for it in function and usefulness. Dung Beetles are natures manure spreaders. An earthy smell is an indication of balanced microbial life as well.

Where soil health can be assessed with field indicators, soil fertility is the quantitative measure of the signs earlier mentioned. Soil fertility is defined as the soils ability to supply essential nutrients to the plant. I’ll add that it should be done with sustainable economically minded practices and inputs that can be implemented by the farmer. The Cadillac of all farming systems and fertility programs are pointless if the farmer can’t pay for, comprehend, or implement them.

The measure of soil fertility is done through several laboratory tests and indexes quantifying OM, physical characteristics, chemical characteristics, and quantifiable biological populations. I often get asked what laboratory test a grower should do and how often. The answer is not always as straightforward as one might think. It ultimately depends on the level at which you want to manage your specific farm and are the costs involved justified. Far too often I see farms using highly specialized tests and achieving the same results another grower did with consistently monitoring field indicators. Each test is another layer of management that needs to show enough return on investment to be feasible.

The following tests are available nationwide. The following is not an exhausted list; it is a reference to tests I recommend or have used with growers. If you know of other, let me know.

Comprehensive soil analysis

Manure/compost analysis

Plant tissue testing

Diagnostic disease and insect testing

Sap testing

Brix level testing

Biological respiration testing

Biological Identification and population assessments

Each test comes with its pros and cons. If the level to which you manage your farm warrants the cost associated with each one then having the extra quantified information can be of value.

Grab a shovel, get out and walk your fields. Consistent field monitoring with consistent and applicable testing are management strategies necessary to achieve soil health and manage soil fertility leading to a successful and profitable farm.  

Ag 101 Week 31

Five Common Pits Falls New Farmers Need to Avoid

Every time I hear the saying, “Help, I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” it makes me laugh. I have fallen at the most inopportune moments and have had my fair share of mishaps, so I’m pretty much laughing at myself.

One time-

My husband and I were attending Rodale’s Organic Pioneer Awards Banquet, and I fell down the port-a-potty steps during cocktail hour. Facing cocktail hour for everyone to see. I was meant at the bottom by the executive director at that time; he graciously helped me up. I sat through dinner with ripped pants. I didn’t use the restroom the rest of the evening. I was suffering from post-traumatic-port-a-potty stress disorder and informed my bladder it could deal with it no matter how long it had to wait till I could get home and use my bathroom.

I want to know whose decision it was to face the port-a-potty towards cocktail hour, anyway?!

We’ve all fallen. It’s life.

Here are some common pitfalls I’ve seen new and even some experienced farmers fall in or for-

Pitfall Number One-

Balancing ego with humility or vice versa

Have enough ego to make you content not arrogant

Have enough humility to make you human not timid

Nothing about soil or plants work on our time or according to our plan. We have to take on management strategies to accomplish what it is we want to produce. It’s management to the nth degree. Soil wants to be what soil is – that’s dictated by its parent material, not you. Plants want to grow and reproduce whether you planted them or not– that’s why they flower and fruit.

It has very little to do with us. Work with it or against it; it’s your choice.

Finding a balance between ego and humility results in confidence

Finding a balance between the soils capabilities, the plants requirements, and your management style is what makes you a prosperous farmer.

Pitfall Number Two-

Knowledge overload in a world plagued with information diarrhea

Seek well vetted proven sources

Invest in an agronomy textbook like The Nature and Properties of Soil by Brady and Weil. Buy an agronomy guide published by your local extension office for reference. And seek out successful farmers that you can look to for ideas and inspiration.

The best social media resource I have found is a platform called Agfuse.

https://agfuse.com/

Agronomy is science applied practically. It is the science of managing the soil, the crop, and management strategies. It’s not about the latest trend on social media or buzzwords being repeated at all the conferences.

Soil doesn't follow trends; markets do

Pitfall Number Three

Stopping at just the soil test

Ever hear that story about the guy digging for diamonds, and he stopped something like 2 feet short, and right below was the mother load? I’m pretty sure I have paraphrased and taken some editing privileges beyond what I should have, but you get the idea.

First, don’t stop one test short of getting the entire picture. Don’t waste time and money by only getting part of the information needed to make critical soil fertility decisions about your farm.

Things to include are-

pH

Organic Matter

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

Base Saturation

Macro Nutrients

Micro Nutrients

Two more key points to take into consideration:

-Using a local lab can ensure they have a better knowledge of soils particular to your region

-Staying consistent with the time of year samples are taken will provide a more accurate soil fertility program. Nutrient availability is often affected by soil temperature.

Want to read more about the six things every soil test should include, go to Week 24 at the following link

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/6/11/ag-101-week-24

Second, don’t just stop at getting the test done either. Far too often I hear farmers say, “I got my soil test results, but have no idea what it means.”

Find someone with an agronomic background that can explain what all those numbers mean and how to use that information to your advantage on your farm. Going beyond just getting a soil test takes you from being an average grower to an exceptional grower. It could also mean the difference between ending up in the red or the black financially.

Pitfall Number Four

                                    Not having an outlet to sell your product

You have to be able to sell what you produce to make money.

Spend time researching what a good product to sell in your area is; not the newest variety that’s all the rage in the seed catalogs. Not that you shouldn’t try new things, do it judiciously.

Look to other farmers who have a presence at the local markets and emulate it with your produce and personality but don’t copy it.

Believe in your product so everyone else will.

I’m stopping right here. This is not my area of expertise. I’m not sure if you noticed but I can’t half market my own business. I honestly thought marketing consisted of my fantastic smile and business cards.  

I’m an agronomist. I understand soil, plants, and care enough for the people who grow them to keep doing this day in and day out.

If you need marketing help look to people, who have shown a proven track record.

Here’s a list of people I look to for advice and examples-

Bootstrap Farmer Business Network found on Facebook, Instagram, and a Podcast

Farmhouse Creative Marketing found on Facebook and Instagram

3 Cow Marketing found on Facebook and Instagram

Pitfall Number Five

                                    Trying to keep up with the Jone’s

You had a great first year at market, and now you have some cash. What do you do with it? Seek out sound financial advice and follow economic principles that keep you in business not going out of business. Even if it means you don’t have the latest and greatest all the Rockstar farmers have or seem to.

Each farm is unique, each farmer is even more unique, and no farms’ financials are the same.

If you can’t understand it, implement it, or pay for it; you probably shouldn’t do it.

Ag 101 Week 30

I Screwed Up –

And Lost Sight of My BMP's

It has once again been a busy week. I let writing a post go to the last minute. So, I went into my files and found a piece I had written a while back when I might have been frustrated and upset about a few things. Thinking it was kind of fitting, considering earlier this week I had seen some things on social media and had some conversations that frustrated me. I thought what the heck, why not add to what I already wrote and put it out there for everyone to read. I spent my Sunday afternoon editing and adding a few pictures. I may have included more terse remarks about the industry. There may be the possibility I even used the phrase ‘narcissist ego driven jackass.’ I realize that's a bit harsh on my part, sorry. And then, I hit the publish button. Oh yeah, when I do stuff, I do it.

Instantly I came to my senses and deleted it. I wish. Truth, my husband sat me down and explained somethings to me. Only then did I delete it.

I am extremely grateful for his wisdom and the fact he is willing to talk some sense into me on occasion. He helped me realize I was not following my own Best Management Practices; otherwise known as BMP's that I have established to run my business. Did it feel good to have some reckless abandon and let it all hang out so to speak? You bet! However, it serves no good for myself, my clients, or the people I would like to help. Nor would it help me achieve my ultimate goal. 

So late last night I had to come up with a new topic. I was pretty upset I had wasted a whole day for nothing and kept thinking if I had just stayed on course following the objectives I already set out for how I want to operate I would have avoided all that from happening. If I had followed BMP's,  I wouldn’t have had to get up early this morning to re-write the entire thing.

Am I human and screw up occasionally? Yes

However, it is much easier to get back on course when you have a set of guidelines or Best Management Practices to follow.

Farming is no different. It is far to easy to listen to the latest and greatest trends, getting off course from time to time. However, if you determine your BMP's , all your choices will have a base from which you operate and help guide you towards reaching your ultimate goal, even if you stray occasionally. 

Here are

five essential BMP’s important to consider in any farming operation-

Reduce Compaction – All this means is controlling the amount of traffic in a field or the area you are planting in. Compacted soil leads to poor drainage, inhibited root growth, and an overall decline in plant health and yield. Create walkways or roads to be efficient and help to reduce the number of passes you have to make through a permanent bed or a field. I’ve read statistics showing that 90% of a field can be compacted by normal field activities due to conventional tillage.  I know me just walking all over my garden can cause issues, but impacting anywhere up to 90%, that brings huge implications.

Incorporate Cover Crops – Cover crops are beneficial by for several reasons. They add organic matter, reduce erosion, help fix nitrogen, improve drainage and soil structure issues. They can also be used to suppress weeds and disease problems. Some may be able to be used as a cash crop as well.

The best resource I have found for information on cover cropping is at-

https://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably-3rd-Edition

https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/mandan-nd/ngprl/docs/cover-crop-chart/

Manage Crop Rotations – It’s succession planting, and just like the rest of the BMP’s one can implement them on any scale. Use crops that make sense for your farming system, climate, and soil. The idea of crop rotations is as old as farming is, however with all the added complexities of modern farmer we seem to have gotten stuck in either no rotations or repeating the same rotations depending on your situation. Rotating through a diversified group of crops helps with soil nutrient management, insect and disease-related issues, weed issues, and has been shown to have a positive effect on the diversity and health of naturally occurring soil biology.

Nutrient Management- is the implementation of the 4R Principles I have covered in Weeks 6 and 14 here-

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/2/5/ag-101-week-6

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/3/28/ag-101-week-14

Managing nutrients will not only have a financial benefit not having to invest as much in inputs; the environmental implication will be beneficial as well.

The following are fundamental concepts to keep in consideration when developing soil fertility management strategies-

-Having a soil test done

-Determine recommended amounts of nutrients needed to produce the desired yields

-Take into account other nutrient sources such as cover crops and manures

-Take into account previous field history such as crops and previously applied amendments & fertilizers

-Keep records

Tillage – The best definition of tillage I have come across is; it is the mechanical modification of soil structure. Tillage can be used to suppress weeds, prep seedbeds, incorporate manure, amendments & fertilizers, and previous crop residue. However, it can be destructive to soil structure causing compaction, erosion, and overall soil health issues if not managed carefully. It is a management decision a farmer has to make based on their unique situation. No-till is not for everyone nor is conventional tillage.

Just as any business or organization has to have management strategies to follow keeping them on track, so does your farm.

Every farm has that fence row where everything has it's place

Ag 101 Week 29

C.E.C – The Rest of the Story

Last week I brought up points why I think clay is the misunderstood underdog of soil fertility. Ironically, later that week, I saw someone post on social media how they have to rip out an entire bed dedicated to growing cut flowers and what they said was, “…amend the soil within an inch of its life.” I’ll be honest; I wasn’t sure what they meant. So being the person I am, I reached out to them and offered some suggestions that would be cost-effective and hopefully spare anyone and any soil from coming within an inch of its life. As I was emailing back and forth with the grower, some things dawned on me.

First, I am not calling them out in any way shape or form to be malicious, mean-spirited or insult them in any way. They are not the first grower I’ve talked to that does not entirely understand soil fertility. For that, I look at the industry and wish so-called experts would do a better job at giving people the facts about soil fertility and not warm fuzzies to get them to buy or believe the stuff they don’t need or isn’t always accurate.

Second, most people think amending soil is as easy as adding organic matter, and all your issues are solved. Kind of like those little foam things you buy at the dollar store that when soaked in water explodes into a dinosaur. Or popping a pill and you are magically cured forever. Or paying someone a lot of money and being photoshopped to be a tall blond and you’re a 4’11’’ brunette.  Nothing about soil is instant, cured forever, or making it something it’s not. It is a constant endeavor called farming.

Soil fertility is starting with inherent baseline characteristics, determining the crop best suited to it and you, and the constant tinkering to get you, the soil, and the plants all working together.

This is where C.E.C, otherwise known as cation exchange capacity, comes in. CEC is the soil’s ability to hold onto cations, which are positively charged ions.  You often hear it referred to as the storehouse or reservoir where nutrients are being kept for a plant to access for use. I like to think of it as the pantry where soil microbes go to get the nutrients the plants need. On a weighted base, organic matter is a more dominant player than clay. However, it is the two that give rise to CEC.

You use CEC in conjunction with pH to tinker with cations and anions -ions with a negative charge- to create a soil environment the crop you want to grow with be sustainable, productive, and healthy. Do you add organic matter sometimes? Yes or no, depending on how much is already there and what your goals are.

The primary nutrients that are involved are calcium-Ca++, magnesium-Mg++, potassium-K+, sodium-Na+, and hydrogen-H+. There are others that need to be taken into consideration, but for the sake of not making this any more confusing, I’m not discussing them now.

As a side note, regularly, my dad points out the fact water is a universal solvent. It’s chemistry -pH mainly- must always be taken into consideration. It brings either hydrogen -H+- or hydroxyl -OH¯- ions making a soil or the water in the soil acidic or alkaline.  Acidic soil has more hydrogen and alkaline, having more hydroxyl ions.

Notice earlier, I listed the nutrients in order of strength.  You can use more prominent nutrients, like calcium, which has a double positive charge, to adjust the chemistry of the soil to achieve specific physical conditions. For more about soils' physical characteristics refer to Week 8 

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/2/11/ag-101-week-8

The picture below is an excellent example of this. All though it may be hard to see it in the photo, the upper part of the field was harder for the farmer to work. It didn’t plow well. Nothing was growing well in it, and it was overall harder for the farmer to work. It lacked tilth. The lower part of the field was a different story. It was easier to work with, things grew relatively well, and overall was better ground to grow in.

When I looked at the soil test before going to the farm one field was lower in calcium than the other, both had the same level of organic matter and were the same soil type. The lower part had been fertilized differently for several years and was showing an imbalance of nutrients. All the upper portion needed to be was the appropriate calcium source and the following year started showing signs of becoming more productive and easier to work.  We tinkered until we got the soil, the crop, and the farmer working together again. However, it is a constant work in progress. It doesn’t happen instantly, there is no magic pill, and you can’t make it something it’s not.

Ag 101 Week 27

Six Steps to Planning a Dinner Party Cont'd - The Menu

      Soil Fertility 

This is the last part in the Six Steps to Planning a Dinner Party. I referred to it in earlier posts as The Menu. Well, this is the last part I'm going to talk about. Step six is to harvest, plant, and repeat. I also went out on a limb and recorded a video for this week. At the end of the post, I include the talking points I used to make the video. There is a lot of eye rolling, I look like I'm in a fishbowl and on drugs, and it lasts a whopping 29:45! At the 17:36 mark, I should have said biology instead of chemistry. But hey, it's my first time!

What is soil fertility? It is managing or balancing soil nutrients to improve crop production

1.     Agronomy is the management of soil and the crop you are growing in it. Its taking science and making it practical for the farmer to achieve fertile soil

2.     How you do it is based on the farmers' goals, management decisions, and limitations

Points to consider

1.     No farm – Soil or farmer is the same

2.     No one management style or decision is all-encompassing or is the end all be all 

3.     One agronomist’s definition of a fertile soil and how to achieve it may be entirely different from another’s – It has to be based on the farmers' goals

Three points to consider when planning the menu

1.     Finances

2.     Your limitations/resources

3.     What are your goals

My thoughts on a soil fertility program

1.     Spoke at length in Week 23 about what an agronomist should be asking about

2.     A program needs to be built based on the soils inherent properties, not the latest and greatest

3.     pH is the last thing I look at but the first thing I take into consideration

4.     A sound fertility program starts before the first crop goes in and ends when your done farming

5.     It is not complicated, or at least it shouldn’t be.

6.     No, I don’t write or talk at any more length then generalities because I wrote a free eBook and several posts about specific amendments. But most of all point 1 of points to consider

7.     There’s nothing new – Trust me I’m looking every day

8.     I will answer calls and emails all day long about yours, ask my family

Most important it all goes back to week 2 and the triangles

Ag 101 Week 25

Six Steps to Planning A Dinner Party

Don’t worry; you’re not planning a dinner party.

Last week while standing in a field with a farmer, I found myself saying-

“You have to start thinking about your next growing season now. In fact, depending on your cropping system you have to be thinking about the next crop before the current one is harvested.”

As I said that, he turned around only to look at like me like I was crazy. Since I have been saying this a lot recently, I thought to myself, “How can I make all of this not so overwhelming but get my point across?” I told the farmer to think of it as if they were planning a dinner party. Silly I know, but who doesn’t love a good party with a great meal? Your crops are no different. So, over the course of the visit, we broke it down into manageable size tasks that weren’t as overwhelming.

All that being said, I’m using the analogy of planning a dinner party for the next several weeks in the Ag 101 52 Weeks of Agronomy Series.

I also realize you are in the thick of this season and for most, it has been tremendously difficult due to the fact most of the northeasts spring was wet and cold. And that is why I’m telling you this now because I want you to have a successful sustainable farm. To do that you have to be taking care of this year while planning for next.

It is like a revolving dinner party where you are the host and are setting the table for what and who comes next. Your previous amending, fertilizing, management practices, and most importantly the crops that were grown or currently growing are all factors as to what happens next. You are setting the table for what’s to follow in a field, raised bed, or hoop house.

If we are planning a dinner party, and break it down into smaller management decisions, it isn’t as daunting as you might think. A party should be enjoyable whether hosting or attending. You are ultimately doing it to get some satisfaction out of it. If you lay out manageable steps ahead of time when things come up unexpected like crop failure, weather issues, etc., there is no need to panic because you have a plan.

So, if I were to plan my next dinner party, I would use the following six steps as a guide-

1.     Pick the venue – your farm or land you’re farming

2.     Make the guest list – crops/insects

3.     What type of tables – the soil

4.     Choose a place setting – management/inputs

5.     Create the menu – soil fertility

6.     Then party like it’s 1999 or till the cows come home – harvesting, taking to market, planting the next crop

This week I’ll talk about the first two

1.     Pick the Venue- Your Farm or Land You're Farming

There’s not much to say about this step; you probably already have land you are currently farming unless moving or add additional land. If you still are looking for property and have options, I strongly suggest you look at the Soil Survey Website. It is full of information regarding soil type, hydrology, etc. that is beneficial in narrowing options. If at all possible I suggest considering what is already growing there or what the land is currently being used. This type of information will help you determine if it is suitable for what you want to do.

For the sake of our conversation, I’m going to assume you have land and that is what you have to work with.

2.     Making The Guest List – Picking Crops and Insects

Next, picking crops should be based on the lands capabilities and market demand.

If you have land that can only grow blueberries, cranberries, or currents, but you desperately want to grow celery, cucumbers, and cauliflower, you might want to adjust your plans. Or tailor the rest of your dinner party to accommodate those crops in the form of amending and fertilizing. This option can be financially prohibitive depending on your situation.

But if you don’t have a market for any of the previously listed crops, you need to invest in research as to what will sell, what could potentially sell, or how you could create a market and demand for what you can or want to grow.

You may have to find a happy medium in the center, growing what works best on your land while incorporating a few things you desperately want to grow, and producing things to accommodate the existing market. The possibilities are limitless but finding what works to keep your farm profitable may take some trial and error. I’m your go-to resource for what will grow, what could grow, or how to make what you want to grow all work, but marketing is not my forte.

 I leave market strategy up to other experts.

The following are some tremendous resources I've come across that have been valuable for growers I work with-

BootStrap Farmer Business Network

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1145901065556241/

3 Cow Marketing

https://www.3cowmarketing.com/

Mercaris

https://mercaris.com/

Current crops need to be taken into consideration because they are the ones already eating at the party. They are one of the primary determining factors of the next crop because you will have to replace what has already eaten or used. If you grew potatoes last year and want to grow potatoes again in the same place you need to replace or fertilize to have the nutrients that crop needs to produce and yield successfully. This is just an example, not a suggestion. Each crop you plant needs a specific ratio of nutrients. This is why soil testing, rotating and keeping records are crucial for a farms sustainability. Knowing a crops nutrient removal and requirements are vital pieces of information when making rotation decisions.

One of the best resources I have come across is the book-

Crop Rotations on Organic Farms edited by Charles L. Mohler & Sue Ellen Johnson

It is free at the following link

https://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Crop-Rotation-on-Organic-Farms

The reason I put insects in this category is due to the fact often we unintentionally invite guests we didn’t want. Whether this happens because we over applied manures, miss used fertilizers, or missed an opportunity with cover cropping the balance between the soil and the plant has been altered, and insects know it. Overall it weakens the plant's immune system making it more attractive to the unwanted guests such as aphids, thrips, beetles, etc. Just as our health is reliant on the efficiency and effectiveness of our immune system, so is a plant’s. If it is compromised due to malnutrition, the plant then becomes more susceptible to insect pressure ultimately leading to increased disease pressure. The following is an excellent illustration of the three factors that determine a plants vulnerability to diseases.

When it comes to insect and disease management, think of it regarding who you’re inviting to the dinner party. The use of previous management types, inputs, and crops dictate whether you are inviting troublemakers or welcome guests that will benefit and you want to have over more often. Are you fertilizing at appropriate rates, overwatering, are you clearing debris for proper ventilation, and so on?  A lot of times you will hear me refer to them as good cultural practices.

Typically, an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs include seven steps-

Step 1: Scouting regularly. This is the cornerstone of an effective IPM program

Step 2: Preventive Action. This includes what I previously mentioned, overuse of manures, miss use of fertilizers, or just not paying attention to the overall nutritional needs of the plant

Step 3: Identification. The proper ID of insects is critical to being able to determine the appropriate course of action

Step 4: Analysis. What needs to be done to irradiate or discourage the pest in the first place

Step 5: Treatment Selection. Choosing what is the best product to use or can it be handled with cultural practices such as weed control, hand picking, etc.

Step 6: Monitoring. Keep scouting

Step 7: Documentation. Take pictures and make field notes

You’ve picked your venue and made the guest list; this means you are a quarter of the way to having a successful dinner party. Next week we’ll talk about the fun stuff- what type of tables and place setting you want.

Ag 101 Week 24

Six Things Every Soil Test Should Include

Last week I wrote about four things your agronomist should know about you. One critical piece of information when working with an agronomist is having a soil test. It is the starting point for them to be able to build a fertility plan that makes financial and environmental sense for you and your farming system.

One challenge I face when working with farmers is not that they haven’t gotten a soil test done. However, the results are missing critical pieces of information that are needed to make the best recommendations tailored to their specific situation. Soil test results are a snapshot of what was happening than when it was collected. However, without the entire picture making the best fertility choices can cost you financially and have unforeseen environmental impacts both on and off your farm. Investing a few minutes and dollars can ensure you get all the necessary information that will save you in the long run.

1.     pH

pH is the potential amount or concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil. It is represented by a negative logarithmic scale, zero through 14. Acidic soils, represented by a pH of below 7.0, have a higher concentration of hydrogen ions available. Alkaline soils, represented by a pH above 7.0, have a lower concentration of hydrogen ions available. It is how many hydrogen ions are in that particular soil. – Talk to the Blueberries

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2017/4/1/talk-to-the-blueberries-they-will-explain-it-to-you

pH is the foundation of all soil chemistry. In which it plays a role in microbial activity that drives nutrient reactions in the soil directly affecting plant health and yields.

2.     Organic Matter (OM)

Often, I refer OM to being the pantry that microbes have access to, where nutrients are stored that plants need. Due to the fact this fraction of the soil acts as a holding area, or pantry, for several nutrients, it is essential to know what percentage makes up the soil in a given sample. 

OM plays a role in storing a vital nutrient, such as nitrogen. The estimated amount of nitrogen (lbs./ac) that can be released or ENR that can potentially be available over the growing season is relative to the percentage of OM present in a soil. The decomposition of organic matter can release about 20 lb. N/acre/year for each percent of organic matter. Knowing these amounts can help to adjust nitrogen inputs throughout the growing season leading to better cover crop choices, more productive crop rotations, and increase the efficiency of a fertility program.

Depending on the lab, this may not be included in a standard package and can often be overlooked. Pay close attention to the soil sample submittal form, making sure it is tested for each sample.

3.     Cation Exchange Capacity

If OM is the pantry where the nutrients can be stored, cation exchange capacity or CEC is the number of shelves or sites you have to store nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other positively charged ions.

Say, for example, I have two pantries’ in our home, one with eight shelves and a smaller pantry with two shelves. That gives me a total of ten shelves to place food on for storage. Clay, which is predominantly negatively charged, could potentially be the pantry with eight shelves and be able to store nutrients that have a positive charge. OM could be the pantry with two shelves, being made up of both negatively and positively charged ions, can store either. In the case of nutrient storage in soil, how much and where it is relative to the amount of clay and OM, and the sum is referred to as the Total Cation Exchange Capacity (TCEC).

4.     Base Saturation

Base Saturation is a percentage of a nutrient, or cation makes up the TCEC. How much shelf space in the pantry that particular cation is occupying in relationship to the total size of the pantry.  When it comes to balancing soil nutrients, there is a school of thought that uses percent base saturation results. Whether that is the measure you are using to adjust nutrients or not, it is still a good overview as to the ratios nutrients are present in the soil. And can be used to help determine the most useful input to achieve the desired balance of nutrients based on other factors as well.

Nutrients that should be included are

Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Hydrogen (H), and Sodium (Na)

5.     MacrONutrients

For this post, which is to make sure farmers get the appropriate test results for an agronomist to make sound and relevant recommendations, I am listing nutrients that a standard soil test should include, and as they are categorized by most labs across the country. For example, I could go into more detail talking at length regarding Nitrate testing and the categorization of sulfur being a micronutrient as opposed to a macro. But that’s not the point of this post.  What a farmer needs to have reported in the results are the following essential nutrients that make up the majority of a plants diet including-

Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Phosphorus

6.     MicrONutrients

Sometimes referred to as trace elements, due to the fact they are required in smaller amounts than the previously listed macronutrients.

These should include sulfur, zinc, boron, copper, manganese, and iron. Depending on the lab, sodium could be reported under this category as well. I’ve listed them in importance for how and why I make fertility recommendations. Farmers need to note that some labs charge per element or as a group. You have to be diligent when filling out the soil sample submittal form, including ones that are pertinent to your situation.

Don’t let a few extra minutes or a couple of extra dollars keep you from getting-

The Six Things Every Soil Test Should Include

Ag 101 Week 23

Four Things Your Agronomist Should Know About You

I’ve been doing a lot of farm visits lately. I wish I could get to everyone I work with and meet them one on one and walk all their fields. The reality is, there is only one of me. So, until I can convince the boss to let me hire another one of me, I will continue to take on new clients in other states and do my best to build a relationship with them with the aid of Skype, Zoom, email, texting, pictures, etc. I’m grateful technology has made working remotely with farmers possible, but nothing can replace seeing it with my own eyes.

As I was driving home from a farm visit last night, I got to thinking…

What can I, or any agronomist do to make a relationship work with a farmer whether I can be on the farm regularly or not?

It dawned on me-

I need all the information I can get about every aspect of their farm, their fields, and their crops.

The farm I was driving home from is in Maryland. I spent a couple of hours walking their fields, talking with them, and answering questions. As we were wrapping the tour up during a short walk to my car I learned more about what they had done in the past seven years to two of their fields, then I had when we were out in them.

I work with a farmer in New York. I can tell what field they are talking about without even knowing the assigned field name or looking at the map. I know their fields by the way they describe what is going on, what the challenges are, what the crops are, and so on. I know what equipment they have and what fertilizer recommendations I can make based on it. I know all of this because I have spent five years asking questions, keeping notes, and listening to every detail.

When I work with a farmer, I am in a constant state of getting to know them and their farm or as I like to call it -dating.

Not actually ‘dating,’ like we’re a couple. But dating in the sense that I have to be genuinely interested in their farm. I also have to take an interest in them as a person to get all the information I need to help them be or stay the farmer they want to be.

So, I broke the information down into four things your agronomist should know about you to successfully build a relationship that will help elevate you as a farmer. But just like any other relationship, it takes time and a desire to want the relationship to work. To be honest, this probably won’t be a complete list either, each farm and farmer are unique, and what I need to know about one, I might not need to know about another. These are good starting points to work from.

I want to know…

1. The Past-  Field History

Previous crops

Previous amendments/fertilizers

Previous insecticides/herbicides/fungicides

Previous soil/tissue or other analytical testing results

Previous crop failures/yield results

2. Your Present – Current Field/Farm Conditions

Current field/crop conditions

Current amendments/fertilizers applied to that field

Current challenges/concerns

Current yield goals/expectations for that crop

Available equipment/labor/resources

3..Your Future – Next Intended Crop

Crop rotation plan

Crop yield goals

Any future testing, i.e., soil sampling

4. Your Farming Style – Management Practices

This list is endless

Farming style may sound funny but, hear me out. I work with every type of farmer imaginable. Each one has their vision, i.e. goals or expectations, for their farm and how they want to achieve them. Each one has its own set of limitations or resources available.  I have to know and understand all of that to give advice and make recommendations that apply to that farm and farmer, not the other guy down the road doing things differently. This includes information as to

Do you farm certified organic, certified naturally grown, bio-dynamically, etc.?

Any grazing or tillage methods, etc.

The time commitment you’re willing, can, or want to make to farming

I’ve said before; agronomy is science applied practically. All the science and product knowledge mean nothing if a farmer can’t use it. The only way I can do that is to get to know how and why you are farming. Like as if we are dating, and I am always asking questions to get to know you.