Grass Vs. Legume Expression in Soil Builder Plus
What’s in your soil matters more than you think. Three different spots in a field of Soil Builder Plus. Nitrogen carryover varied for each spot from uneven manure application (too much in some spots and too little in others), which meant the mix looked quite different, depending where you stood. More nitrogen in a spot…
Illegally bagged seed: more pain than gain
From American Agriculturist, May 10, 2017 ‘Brown baggers’ more pain than gain Buying cheaper seed isn’t worth the aggravation that follows — especially if it’s illegal. That’s why state ag secretaries and commissioners warn against buying and selling “brown bag” seed almost every spring. If it’s not tested for purity and germination and doesn’t carry your state’s…
Small Quick Tips to Prevent Big Trips
By Paige Smart, Southeast AgriSeeds 80% of your success depends on the actions you take the day you plant. Set yourself up for success and read through these brief planting tips before getting that summer annual in the ground! BURN DOWN THE EXISTING STAND It can be very tempting to drill summer annuals straight into…
Why you shouldn’t plow down your cover crop too early…
What a difference a month makes! This organic corn field in Trumansburg, NY was interseeded last July with a crimson clover and annual ryegrass cover crop. This was the field on April 15: Here’s the same field only a little more than a month later – May 24… The moral of the story? Give your…
The Summer Annual Manual
By Genevieve Slocum and Tracy Neff Summer annuals have unique benefits, like filling a small space in the rotation with multiple cuttings of big yields. They also bring some unique challenges and considerations. Here’s what you need to know. Step 1 is waiting for warm soils. These crops are adapted to hot climates and won’t…
What’s the Best Time of Day to Make Hay?
By Joy Beam, King’s AgriSeeds The best time of day to cut hay is a balancing act between maximizing the nutritional quality and store-ability of the bales. During the day, the plant undergoes the process of photosynthesis, or production of carbohydrates- what we know better as ‘sugars’. However, these sugars are produced at a rate…
Frost-seeding? Consider your Clover Options
By Joy Beam, King’s AgriSeeds Consider using the cold mornings in February as an opportunity to frost-seed your pastures with clover for more productive forages this upcoming spring! Besides fixing 40-120 pounds of N/A/Year, these legumes increase animal performance while improving the palatability of forages. This leads to an increased amount and quality of forage…
Thoughts from Tim Fritz on tough times, Spring 2018
King’s AgriSeeds’ core mission is to provide high quality forages and cover crops to our farm community. The dairy industry in particular is currently in severe distress. 2018 is starting out to be a brutal year. Not only are the prices being received lower than a rough 2017, but there are several cases of dairy…
The Price of an Uneven Stand
Preparing the planter and the field A consistent corn stand is a profitable stand. This spring, paying attention to detail and waiting for those optimal planting conditions can pave the way for success. It’s a good idea to dig up seeds at planting to make sure you have an even and adequate depth, and consistent…
The Carbon Cycle
By Harold Schrock Carbon. This is arguably the most important physical factor in all of life, and is the primary nutrient needed for plant growth. There are several aspects of carbon that effect farmers. In plants this material makes the bulk of the dry matter, in soils it is the bulk of the organic matter…
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