Organic Fusarium...

[sumdumguy]

Braveheart, where do you farm that you think your soil will be destroyed by a little tillage? Probably its been tilled before you came along.

[Braveheart]

Sumdumguy, southern MB is where I be.

Yes it was tilled long before me. The fence lines are full of dirt, mostly from the thirties. It's easy to notice fields where there really was no noticeable salinity now have huge areas that bigger every year (in tilled fields).

There's are farmer here everyone thinks is a god because he tills nicely. Farms along the highway. Water washes away soil from his field each spring, he farms into the ditch by the way. Next year he pulls more soil into the washout and next spring away it washes again. Where his field used to be ten years ago is gully. The water used to go down the ditch, now it goes across his field. If he's a god he's not a smart one.

[Braveheart]

Another reason we try to avoid tillage is that mycorrhizae fungi colonize wheat roots and help make P more available. Tillage kills off or reduces mycorrhizae. Our soil ties up phos quickly so any help, especially free help, is welcome.

[Braveheart]

I was very involved with Pesticide Free Production (PFP). Research done by Dr. Martin Entz at the U of M found greatly reduced fusarium innoculum in crops with an understory of growth. Having a canopy of clover or vetch trapped spores and prevented infection from below. FHB infection could still come from above though and did I high infection years that were warm and moist.

[Hopperbin]

Braveheart you must harrow correct? Do you prefer to harrow once or twice or more to make your seedbed? I was hoping klause would put in his two cents. He claims we dont know how t deal with fuzarium and what he dos is correct.and he has none according to him everyone else has lots. So what did he do to accomplish it.

[Braveheart]

We bale half or more of our wheat straw for the cows. We heavy harrow all stubble just to make sure the drill gets through trouble free next spring and residue isn't in any globs to hamper crop emergence.

[ado089]

It doesn't matter if you're talking livestock, people or plants higher density populations are more susceptible to disease. I combined the neighbors organic wheat in November for him. Second nicest wheat I've seen all year. My buddy who's an organic grain trader, likely one of the biggest in canada, says he's having a hell of a time with fuzz.ive seen a strong correlation to high fertility more than anything.

[hobbyfrmr]

I agree with. LEP when he says organic farming is not the answer to everything. It is definitely not easy, and it's not for everyone.
Plus organic farmers do not grow enough grain volume to feed the world.
I do have a little difficulty believing that the Ritchie Brothers, Kramer, and Hodgins Auctions magazine are full of organic farms.
I will pay more attention to this claim when the auction catalogues come out.

[LEP]

Hobby, my comment is a general one made to me by a middle manager at FCC.

I think as much as anything , he was saying it isn't easy going organic.

I witnessed myself, many farmers that struggled with conventional agriculture decided to go organic because they thought it meant farm the same with no inputs.

Many failed trying that and are long gone. You know that because the numbers of organic farms are way down from the peak.

I don't dislike the organic approach, but I do get mighty irritated at the holier than thou attitude some have.

[sumdumguy]

Organic guy I know was asking 30% more than going price for his land. Guess someone found organic ground more valuable, but I know making a success of organic farming is not easy. The ones that I know are successful work hard at finding niche markets. Targetting the right market is a huge part of the equation.they also have all kinds of regimen to control the weeds. Its not for Lazy Lou.

[farmaholic]

"It's not for Lazy Lou" agreed 100%. It is a different way of farming, intensive in its own way.

Unfortunately, nice to hear the conventionals are not alone regarding fusarium. Sounds like graminearum doesn't discriminate.

[BreadWinner]

Hate to break it to you hobby farmer but most organic farms don't have enough equipment value to make it onto a Ritchie bros sale. Some make it onto the online Hodgins sale only because there isn't enough value to hold a real sale. Why is this the case? If they are making as much money how come they have no new equipment? NOT WANTING TO PICK SIDES BUT YOU STARTED IT!!

[hobbyfrmr]

Bread winner. I agree. Many organic farms run old equipment. I for certain cannot afford anyhting newer than 10 yeard old. I am paying income tax, buying resps for 4 kids and try to keep debt low. I have been buying land.
My farm is small so I dont feel like I can buy everything . The banker claims i have alot of (phantom) equity in my clear titles but i have trouble using them for better equipment.
I dont believe all the conventional farms at auction have that stuff paid for. But i really dont get out much to figure out whats going on.

[hobbyfrmr]

Having a kick ass auction sale with really good equipment is not one one of my farmimg goals.

[hobbyfrmr]

Having a kick ass auction sale with really good equipment is not one one of my farmimg goals.