Ag 101 Week 32

Three Things You Can Do Today to Increase Your Profit Next Season

No one has ever said farming is trouble-free. If it were everyone would be doing it. However, there are simple things you can do it increase your odds of being profitable.

1.     Create a Field Map

Often I start working with a new farmer and they keep records for everything else but don’t have a map of their fields or beds they are farming. It doesn’t have to involve an elaborate to scale rendering of your entire property, that can come in time.

What it should do is map out all the fields or beds that are currently being used and ones that are fallow or left for future production. The map should coincide with the history of the field including information like crop rotations, herbicide and pesticide applications, any amendment and fertilizer applications, notes about crop health, possibly include pictures, any soil test results, and notes regarding any normal or abnormal conditions related to the field.

Having field maps helps to create the framework necessary to establish a soil testing rotation that works for the crops and you. Field mapping will ensure tests are done promptly to reduce unnecessary costs for amendments and fertilizers.

Here is an example of a field map from a grower I recently consulted with.

Nothing fancy, but enough with coinciding information I could make necessary decisions regarding their farm's soil fertility program for the next growing season.

2.     Get a Soil Test

During a recent interview for the Grazers Grapevine Podcast sponsored by the PA Grazing Lands Coalition. One of the questions asked was, “What if a farmer doesn’t want to get a soil test?”  Believe it or not, I have farmers that don’t test their soil regularly with lab tests. They are monitoring soil health by other factors and making soil fertility decisions based on crop health and quality.

I also have farmers that not only do regular soil testing; they invest in sap testing, Solvita testing, take routine tissue tests, and perform on-site Brix testing. The type of testing done or not done has to be a farmers’ choice and work with how they are managing their farm. Yield goals and crop management determine the frequency, timing, and type of tests used.  For more on soil testing refer to Week 24 at the following link

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

3.     Crop Selection

Focus on what had minimal labor and input costs produced good yields, and sold at market.

Other factors to take into consideration are climate, soil capabilities, average rainfall, average growing degree days (GDD) for your area, and availability of disease and pest resistant seed varieties.

Three valuable resources are-

Soil capabilities

https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm

Weather monitoring

https://www.agweb.com/weather/

Seed Supplier

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/

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 28

What’s the Most Chemically Active Fraction of Soil?

Clay

Soil Fertility is based on balancing/adjusting cation (+) and anions (-)

Usually, the organic matter gets all the attention, but you need clay. I think it's often underrated and misunderstood. 

Soil chemistry is mainly surface chemistry - its taking place at the interface between the particle and soil solution(water)

Clay has up to 8 million times more surface area than other soil particles such as coarse sand. A lump of clay weighing one pound can have as much total surface area as 50 football fields (How Soil Works, Paul Syltie, pg. 25) making it the life of the party because it's so big

No clay is created equal

It starts with the decomposition of micas, biotite, etc.

Which leads to Tetrahedral (Silica) & Octahedral (Aluminum) layers

          kaolinite 1:1, Montmorillonite 2:1,  Illite 2:1 it's technically in between  a 1:1 and a 2:1

Clay predominately has a negative charge due to isomorphic substitution, the replacement of similar size atoms resulting in a negative charge and exposed crystal edges, basically weathering

2:1 clays can swell causing them to be able to hold 10-12 times the cations that a 1:1 can

1:1 is fixed, making it better for use as a protectant on fruits, used in fungicides, etc.

The negative charge of clay, along with organic matter leads to the CEC or Cation Exchange Capacity of a soil - It’s potential to hold nutrients

It also leads to physical properties such as structure – compaction and drainage traits, also that sticky feel when it's wet

Heavy clay soil can be remedied with the addition of organic matter. Sand lacks structure and will only lead to a hot mess, otherwise known as cement 

Zeolite, Greensand, Kaolin (hydrated aluminum silicate) are like the red-headed step children that turned out to be Rockstar’s

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 26

Six Steps to Planning a Dinner Party - Cont'd

Setting the Table

Miss Kitty and The Kitchen Table 

That’s a picture of our kitchen table. It’s put together from three different sets and painted so it would all match. Nothing fancy but gets the job done.

Sometimes we do everything but eat at it.

We hold family meetings, do art projects and science experiments, re-pot plants, pit cherries, write blog posts, decorate cookies, and even cry there. I’ve taught both our kids’ reading, writing, and math at it.

When we all have time to have a meal together, we pray over burnt offerings otherwise known as dinner at it.

It’s old, well used, and now and then we have to tighten the legs. It should be repainted but has not been a priority. That doesn’t affect how well it works; only its’ looks.

Generally, we use paper plates - do not judge. I know the environmental implications and take steps to balance it out in other areas to offset them. Is it a perfect system?  No. However, I know my schedule and what it takes to make our empire spin, and there are tradeoffs. I bet there are some in your home, or on your farm, as well. We all have to make management decisions based on our situation. For us sometimes it’s paper. If not paper and much to my moms’ dismay, I use all my depression glass and china from my grandparents. My philosophy is, if I have it, I’m going to use it and enjoy it until someone breaks it.

I’m using our kitchen table and our dishes, as an illustration, to talk about the next two steps in the Six Steps to Planning a Dinner Party that I started last week

If you recall, the first two are

1.    Pick a Venue – Your Farm

2.    Make a Guest List – Crops and Insects

This week we’re going to talk about steps three and four

What Types of Tables – Soil

Choosing the place setting – Management and inputs

3.    Choosing the Tables – Soil

When you’re planning a dinner party, you get to pick the type of tables you want, and the seating arrangement can be based on the types of tables at your venue.

The tables can be extended, short, round, tall, or any combination of all.

Maybe the venue comes with tables, and they are already chosen for you by default, similar to buying a farm or land.

Maybe like our kitchen table, it is a miss-matched set put together for function over style.

Whether you are looking to purchase or have been farming the same ground for years, you need to invest time getting to know the type of soil you are working with or reacquainting yourself with it. My best suggestions are

-Go to the Soil Survey Website. I wrote about it back in Week 3.

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/1/13/ag-101-week-3

This is the direct link

ttps://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm

Just as making the seating arrangement at your dinner party can be based on the types of tables. Your crop rotations, amendment/fertilizer choices, and types of management such as tillage options are based on the amounts of sand, silt, and clay present in the soil.

Like we work with our old rickety table, some farmers I work with have marginal land but have overcome it with a sound fertility plan taking into consideration the soil type and test results. 

Using a free resource like the Soil Survey Web can give you insights as to where to start in making those decisions.

-Get a complete soil test

I wrote about this in Week 24 – Six Things Every Soil Test Should Include

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

I say completely because far too often it’s not that farmers aren’t getting them done, its that they don’t get all the information they need to make complete decisions. Keep in mind when choosing a lab, read what each test package includes and fill the form out accordingly. In doubt and before submitting the sample call the lab if necessary.

-Get out and walk your fields

It goes beyond planting, spraying, and harvesting. Take some time and walk your fields with your soil survey and soil test results. Take notes of the physical characteristics of the soil in each field and compare it to the map and results. In some cases, you could be surprised at what the soil will tell you as opposed to the maps and tests. I've looked at soil tests at my desk and gone out to the field to either have my thoughts proven or disproven. But without physically looking with my own eyes, it was a mere educated guess. Soil and plants will tell you things you just have to be willing to look for it. 

4.    Chose the Place Setting – Management/Inputs

Just has my choice to use paper plates or depression glass for our table setting, how you manage your farm can be based on several factors. They can range from soil type, crop choice, financial limitation, regulatory requirements, or philosophical and moral views. A few farms I work with had to create management zones due to the types of crops they grow and to make it easier for employees to understand. 

Whatever the case may be for your situation having good management plans in place and practicing them will go a long way to ensuring a successful season. I wrote a post titled - You Can’t Out Fertilize Poor Management, Week 13

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/2/15/you-cant-out-fertilize-poor-management

My husband read it and said I had been harsh. As much as I don’t like saying it, it’s true. Think of it as one of the legs of our kitchen table I spoke about earlier. Sometimes I need to tighten it to stay functional. Sometimes you need to manage the resources you have to be profitable.

Inputs need to be viewed much the same. Basing them off of the soil type, test results, and crops will ensure the right choice to produce a quality high yielding product. Managing them using principles suggested in the 4 R’s covered in weeks 6 and ten will provide financial and environmental benefits.

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

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2018/2/25/ag-101-week-10

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.