Methods
Technology = Effiency and Value
Huge changes in the last 80 years, and the rate of change is accelerating. From horse drawn to satellite guided, equipment advances have been phenomenal.
All equipment, Every Record, Every Acre.
Yield Mapping - Tests and Trials
The yield of every acre of every field is recorded by our combines. We know which areas produced well and which areas produced less. These yield maps are also used extensively for on farm trials. We are constantly doing test strips and the yield data shows us any measurable responses to increases or decreases in fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides or seeding rates.
Layering of several years maps begins to show patterns of better or poorer production zones in each field. We check these against infrared satellite imagery to help verify these different zones. These zones are then soil tested separately to determine if fertility is the variable. If it is, then a different fertilizer prescription for each zone is written and the rate of fertilizer is varied throughout the field by the computers in the seeding equipment.
Soil Testing - Part of good stewardship.
Each fall, every field is sampled and tested to determine the nutrient levels available for the next year’s crop. Our soil tester is ATV mounted and we take 30 to 100 soil cores depending upon field size. Testing every year gives us a better handle on what our fertilizer program is achieving. Are we increasing nutrient levels or diminishing them. If a diminishing trend of any nutrient surfaces, we will adjust fertilizer rates to ensure good nutrient reserves are maintained. We are serious about improving the soil and being good stewards of the land. As stated previously we will also define zone variances from the yield maps and soil test them separately.
This level of record keeping and monitoring takes a lot of time and effort but we’re convinced it’s worth it. We believe knowing exactly what’s been done, keeping track of the lands fertility and knowing precisely the quality of the soil creates significant value.
