Common Knowledge or Science?

Another question from one of my Facebook followers and I got My Farmer to help with the answers!

Lisa asked, "First, let me say I am completely farming illiterate. I would really like to know how farmers know when to perform the functions of farming (ie: planting/sowing, harvesting, tilling, not tilling, burning a field, watering). Is it all passed down from generation to generation, or more trial and error? How much stock do you take in the Farmer's Almanac?"

First of all I want to say that I am so happy that I have those of you that are "farming illiterate" following me on Facebook and reading my blog.  That is exactly why I do this.  If you haven't noticed, I don't sell advertising on my blog which means I am making no money doing this.  I spend the time writing, so you know where your food comes from and how it is raised and if you have a question I can help you find a honest answer.  So thank you for following me especially if you don't know everything about what we do!!

Some of what we do is passed down from generation to generation, but honestly today most of our decisions are based on science and research.  Some decisions are somewhat personal preference and what works with your labor force and mindset.  Let me explain and try not to bore you to tears.

Let's start with corn planting.  Corn is one of those crops that is very dependent on temperature above and below ground.  We try not to plant corn until the soil temperature is at least 50 degrees.  If the soil is cooler than that, the seed will not germinate and will likely lie in the soil and rot.

Tilling and not tilling.  This is one process that is probably determined more by tradition than anything else.  We practice no-till farming which means we do not work or till the ground at all before we plant the next crop.  There are a couple other farmers in the area that farm this way, but most still farm similar to the way their fathers did.  My farmer has a degree in Agronomy and believes it is best for the health of the soil, earthworms and soil microbes.  We also see the benefit in reduced chemical and fuel usage.  

Harvesting.  The basis of determining when to harvest a crop centers around the moisture content of the grain and not the actual plant.  When grain is harvested and stored in a elevator or grain bin it cannot have excessive moisture.  Simply put it will spoil, large fans and heaters can decrease moisture some but there is no substitute for wind and sunshine to dry a crop.  Farmers must also harvest their crops before they get too dry.  If the grain gets too dry, it will shatter out and fall to the ground before the combine can harvest it.  This is good for the field mouse, but not the farmer.  -The Farmer

Burning.  Most crops do not require old dead material to be removed by fire; however, there are a few grass crops that can have tremendous benefits to having the old material being removed. For instance in the tall grass prairies of the Flint Hills, fire has become an important tool in managing encroachment of brush and trees.  These prairies developed under centuries of fire in their ecosystem.  Only recently has human intervention disrupted this process.  Now we have more residences in rural areas that need protection from wild fires and with these homesteads come fence rows, shelter belts and other areas that provide seed to infest native prairie with trees.  -The Farmer

Watering.  We personally do not irrigate our crops actually there are very few in our area that do, but my friends in California irrigate their almond trees.  Would you believe that their computer tells them when to turn on the water?  They have sensors buried in the ground that tell them when the ground is getting dry and tells them when and where to direct the valuable water. 

Farmer's Almanac.  To be completely honest, I don't remember the last time I read a Farmer's Almanac.  The Farmer and I were in a store the other day and laughed at the number of options there were for an almanac-I think there were 5 different ones in one store.    

I hope this answers your questions, if not ask me some more on Facebook.  I need some help on what to keep writing about.  I have ideas, but would love to answer your question if you have one!

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Spoon Feeding Nitrogen to Corn Plants

This last week has been another week of take care of odds and ends that need to be done before the next season begins.  In the middle of all my activities, I tried to keep up with the news on the latest BSE case (mad cow disease).  From what I could tell, the media has done a really good job of keeping the information factual and balanced.

The Farmer decided it was time to spoon feed nitrogen to the corn crop.  We give nitrogen to the corn when we plant it and then we give it some more as it grows through the season.  Here is a picture of my ride for 2 days.  It was another of those balancing mother duties and getting grandparents to help out.  My oldest needed to go back to the doctor to make sure his ear infection had cleared up all the way.  Well, since The Farmer needed to get this nitrogen on the corn before the rain that was predicted for the weekend fell, my wonderful father volunteered to take him to the doctor so I could continue to haul nitrogen (My dad is telling everyone I have a fear of doctor’s offices which is not true, I just have work to do).  Thankfully, the ear infection is totally cleared up and we are going in full force again.  Well, here is a picture of us filling the sprayer.  I can haul 1000 gallons of fertilizer at a time and the sprayer holds 1250 gallons. 

The Farmer was applying 49 gallons of nitrogen per minute when he was going through the field.  He was applying the nitrogen through these tubes to put the nitrogen in a stream in between the corn rows.  If we would spray the nitrogen on the plants, it would burn the leaves of the plants and really set them back.  We try to apply the nitrogen before a rain is predicted so the rain will wash the nitrogen into the ground where the roots can utilize it. 

We could apply all the nitrogen the corn needs for the year before we plant the corn, but when we get a large rain the water moves the nitrogen away from where the corn needs it.  It is our way to protect the investment that we and our landlords put into fertilizer.  Fertilizer is one of the biggest expenses we have and the price is closely tied to the price of gas and natural gas.  The Farmer’s sprayer is a high tech piece of machinery.  I have tried not to learn how to run it, but I think he is going to try to teach me this year.  It actually has a computer that tracks its location through satellites and when he gets to the end of a field, the boom automatically shuts off.  If the field isn’t square, it can shut of the sections of the boom individually so he doesn’t overlap his applications.

We built a new barn this last year to house our fertilizer tanks.  We built concrete containment that will hold the contents of 110% of the largest tank.  It holds spills if I overfill the nurse trailer or if a tank leaks.   It keeps fertilizer from getting into the ground water if we have a leak and saves us money and the environment if it happens. 

When I was delivering the next to last load to the field, I got to thinking about how well I was doing keeping up with The Farmer and he didn’t have to wait on me as in the year’s past.  It suddenly hit me, for the last nine years, I have had a passenger in the truck with me and my youngest is in school all day this year.  I didn’t have someone asking for a snack, needing to go potty, or not wanting to get back in the car seat.  It was amazing how much I could get done in a day, but it was also kind of lonely.  I think a couple of my friends wondered why I called to chat with them.  The Farmer’s cousin used to laugh when I had the truck full of car seats, pulling the nurse trailer, he said I had a mobile nursery. 

Although, having the kids with me for the last nine years greatly increased the stress level during busy times of the year and slowed me down, I would not have traded that time for anything.  I know that my kids are only young once.  I feel very blessed that I have two sons that tell me on a regular basis that I am “the best mom ever.”  If being a little slow to get some of my work done was the cost to hear that multiple times a week, it was worth every minute of it.