Friday, March 26, 2021
Last night, it rained again. That makes for a bit of a soggy week, and will put off the next field operation again for a few days. It wasn’t a gully-washer, but enough to keep the soil surface wet. We are beginning to feel a bit of urgency to get the herbicide/insecticide/fungicide application on the wheat crop. The wind has been a factor in delaying that application, too!
We think we are fully prepared for that first day in the field. Typically, that first day reveals some unforeseen thing! We will likely start applying NH3 for the corn fields, as well as the above-mentioned wheat spraying. After the wheat, we will begin applying burn-down herbicide to the soybean fields. Right now, it seems a bit complex, but it will all come together when the time is right.
This week, between rain events, we were able to get the Shepard Construction guys to come and install a new WASCoB. With the cooperation and advice of the local Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS), we are planning to re-work a waterway here at the main farm that was built over a decade ago. Over the course of the years, it has functioned well, but it has collected some sediment and it needs to be re-shaped to restore its utility. At the top of the waterway was a long contour terrace that emptied into it. The last 100 yards or so of that terrace was beginning to show some erosion. The WASCoB installed this week will cure that erosion. Later this summer, the Shepards will bring back their equipment, and re-shape the length of the waterway. The grass will have to be reseeded, with a protective netting to cover it until the sod is established. This work may result in some mounds of sod or soil that need to be spread across the adjacent fields. That will likely be done after fall harvest. Yes, it is a months-long process to rebuild this waterway.
Here, Sam Shepard trenches the 12-inch tile into the soil .
The guys install a tee on the end of the 12-inch tile. then the orange riser goes on top of the tee.
The backhoe clears the area around the riser, then the dozer goes to work building the ‘basin’ of the WASCoB
Tyler Shepard builds the terrace that becomes the basin of the WASCoB. The final grade was made accurate with a laser beam.
In between rains, the local Nutrien plant was able to apply most of the second-and-final-shot of nitrogen to the wheat crop. The soil was a bit soft in spots, but most went on okay.
Evan from Nutrien refills his sprayer in order to stream on the nitrogen.
To see a video of this nitrogen application, check our posting for January 22.
We learned that some of the farmers in the south part of Knox County have been planting. Their soil conditions are different there; they always seem dry out about a couple weeks ahead of us here.
This damp week pushes back #plant21 a little bit.
