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Thumb of Michigan | sri- Pa as well as some other east coast states have some very good incentive programs to plant cover crops. I've heard over $25/acre. Whatever it was, I remember thinking that every acre should be covered, no excuses. I've known Steve for a number of years now. Pretty dynamic speaker, and I feel a good voice for no-till. As you said, I think theres lots of research $ in his mailbox every year, but I think he presents his findings well, also.
To the rye seed question. We've produced (until this year) Aroostock Rye for our own use as well as to sell. We can't seem to get it over about 50 bpa. For us, we have to put it on pretty marginal ground to compete with anything else I grow. We grew it just to assure a supply. We raise other cover crop seeds that to be honest, are pretty lucrative. Even though every one is a pain in the butt to grow and/or harvest.
Fendtman- we were asked to participate in a Rodale crimper program last year. The unit is modeled very closely to what R. Derpsch's website shows. I think Rodale was working on pretty narrow (for us) crimpers. It was going to mount on the front of the planter tractor. If I remember right, the Argetinian farmers build crimpers the same width as the planters, and follow the crimpers with the planters going the same way. Very key to getting the planter to work. Generally, I think the cost for these units were less than a grand. Take a 4-6' diameter tube of some sort, weld old rasp bars on it, put some bearings in the end of it, and you're crimping. I've also saw units in a magazine somewhere where the guy had a crimper on the front of the tractor, planter behind. It was maybe 15', not sure now. We need something 30', so it needs to fold. Might be worth the effort, not sure. Theres a lot of old cultipackers and clod busters around here, I've often wondered if they would do the job with a little modification. Would probably take 2 trips (plant and crimp), something I don't want to do. A narrower crimper would probably work also if a GPS was available to keep the swath right. Lots of ways to skin the cat, eh?
Edited by pat-michigan 10/13/2006 21:33
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corn cover crop
