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Aberdeen MS | Cover crops "here" takes a bit away from the economical side of things. Only about half the beans and aside from silage corn...all the corn are still standing today. Not that much out of the normal. My birthday is mid month.... I remember more days doing beans than not... and very very few doing corn.
To get a cover crop established...has to flown on....aerial application ran $8.50/ac this year. Fast forward to spring....normal "ice out" is in the first couple weeks of April.... economic disadvantage on corn planting is proven after April 25. Not uncommon to have half the acreage "here" under water the 3rd week of March as tile lines are still froze up. Cold temps do not lead themselves to successful burn down and with a reduced surface are of the soil surface along with it being covered....the radiant energy of the sun can not be utilized to bring ground temps up for a good start on germination. Not uncommon "here" to put corn in the ground on conventional tilled "fit" ground on April 20 and not have spike until May 10 .
For those it works for....it's great, just that for some of us...it puts us at a economic disadvantage. There is a higher % of my 600 acres that are Glencoe, Webster, Nicollet soils and blends of them, than are others. Total "true" conservation practices here require a 180 bu/ac variety of 80 - 84 day corn. To date...I don't know of any company offering such genetics. | |
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A Good referance to understanding and Building Soil Organic matter!
