A year in the life of a farm

[elgato]

You gotta love a crimson clover field in all its glory. This a 13 acre field I plant in sunflowers for dove hunting. It was originally planted in crimson several years ago...5 or 6? maybe more...and has done a great job of being a reseeding annual. I haven't fertilized it in forever. Just let the crimson feed the sunflowers.

Interestingly, this year with a lot of our property just now drying out from spring flooding, the deer hammered this field. It looked like the entire field had been hit with a weed eater. I think crimson is a great short duration, winter, early spring feed not to mention a great companion plant for small grains,

[Jtrisler]

Mr. Rusty, how is the high water/flooding affecting you guys this spring? We dodged a bullet at our camp in Larto......water was close to getting in but we made it with little damage. The Black River still has our fields flooded in Jonesville under the bridge and it looks like we will be planting soybeans instead of corn on it this year. Uncle and cousin on the Delta are not sure if they will get to plant over half of their acreage due to flooding!

[elgato]

I've been dreaming and scheming about this for a long time. Crimping and drilling at the same time. This , a 10 acre field in straight soybeans. I see some seed on top of the thatch but appears plenty is getting good soil contact.

I crimped this field a few weeks ago but some of the rye sprung back up. My guess is that I was a bit early. More to come on this adventure.

[elgato]

Another view

[gingib]

Another view

Sure is a dream there! Awesome

Keep the thread coming

So you just drill into the existing plot and do not spray it but let it just die off?

[bgleaton]

Looks awesome! I can’t wait to see the results over time and how much more production you will see and whether or not this will reduce fertilizer costs. Thanks for sharing!

[deerdynasty]

great info!! thank you

[elgato]

Here are answers to a couple of questions:

Yes I just drill into existing thatch. If the straight soybean fields start to get weedy I will spray with flex star when they are about 8-12" tall. That kills everything but the legumes.After that the beans will canopy and smother most new weeds. For the mix with sunn hemp, cow peas, soy beans, sunflower and buck wheat I do not plan to spray at all. That mix should out compete any weeds . Besides, a few weeds dont bother me.

I haven't used synthetic commercial fertilizer in years. I do amend with chicken litter. The crops feed the crops. As the thatch melts down it feeds the summer crop. Then the legumes from the summer crop fix nitrogen and feed the fall crop. And on we go. Also the elbon rye has an aleopathic effect which thwarts small seeded weeds for a period of time giving the planted cultivars a head start.

If you want to see this process executed by an expert you tube some of the Gabe Brown videos . He is the master.

[elgato]

Living the dream! Got my nose right in the middle of fresh horse manure mixed with wood chips and hay. Quite fragrant. I'm building some new garden beds based on what is colloquially know as a 'Back to Eden' garden concept. I'm using the horse manure to turn to compost then I will cover the concoction with 6-8" of wood chips. I have amended the horse manure with blood meal , organic fertilizer, biochar, azomite, oyster meal,and magnesium sulfate. Will let this all melt down then cover with the chips. Should be ready to go by this fall.

Making 2 beds. One is a new raised bed. The other I'm just covering an area of my yard about 50'x50'. With this system the soil gets better and better over time. Hardly any weeding required ever. Holds and manages water very well requiring almost no watering once plants established. Disperses weight so I can drive across it if I want without soil compression. Fun experiment.

[texas shag]

Rusty, you are inspiring me to start a garden. I may venture down this rabbit trail if time allows. Thanks for all the information!

[bloodtrailer28]

You are living the dream sir! Thanks for letting all of us tag along.

[bukkskin]

Living the dream! Got my nose right in the middle of fresh horse manure mixed with wood chips and hay. Quite fragrant. I'm building some new garden beds based on what is colloquially know as a 'Back to Eden' garden concept. I'm using the horse manure to turn to compost then I will cover the concoction with 6-8" of wood chips. I have amended the horse manure with blood meal , organic fertilizer, biochar, azomite, oyster meal,and magnesium sulfate. Will let this all melt down then cover with the chips. Should be ready to go by this fall.

Making 2 beds. One is a new raised bed. The other I'm just covering an area of my yard about 50'x50'. With this system the soil gets better and better over time. Hardly any weeding required ever. Holds and manages water very well requiring almost no watering once plants established. Disperses weight so I can drive across it if I want without soil compression. Fun experiment.

Rusty, you need a haircut sir
But to be fair, so do I.

[elgato]

Ha! I put hair cuts right up there with prostate exams and trips to Walmart. Total waste of time. Besides, being a...whats the acronym used on here...GOF...and mostly retired to boot, not out to impress anyone . More important things to do like turn the compost pile, feed the chickens and try to figure out how to grow a decent looking buck.

[bukkskin]

Ha! I put hair cuts right up there with prostate exams and trips to Walmart. Total waste of time. Besides, being a...whats the acronym used on here...GOF...and mostly retired to boot, not out to impress anyone . More important things to do like turn the compost pile, feed the chickens and try to figure out how to grow a decent looking buck.

Lol, I feel the same, but gotta cut it for work.

I notice that you like to use alfalfa in your garden.
I feed a lot of alfalfa round bales. After the deer stomp it down and pick thru it and it gets rained on a couple times they won't eat it. I am tying to figure out the best use for it.
Spread it around my new trees, use it in some raised beds??
What would you do with it?

Btw, your place and garden are looking great

[elgato]

Lol, I feel the same, but gotta cut it for work.

I notice that you like to use alfalfa in your garden.
I feed a lot of alfalfa round bales. After the deer stomp it down and pick thru it and it gets rained on a couple times they won't eat it. I am tying to figure out the best use for it.
Spread it around my new trees, use it in some raised beds??
What would you do with it?

Btw, your place and garden are looking great

Thanks,

I've been using a heavy alfalfa mulch on the garden the last couple of years and love it. Essentially no weeding and does great things for the soil. The amount of worms looks like something out of 'Little House of Horrors'. As the alfalfa decomposes, I add a layer of compost then re mulch with about ~ 6" more alfalfa. I never till or work the garden at all. Just add a layer of compost, add mulch and plant . Easy and very productive .

I think I have found a source of wood chips and if I get enough I will convert from alfalfa to wood chips. They last longer and have all the soil benefits.