Organic Fusarium...

[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.

[grassfarmer]

interesting thread. Ado says "it doesn't matter if you're talking livestock, people or plants higher density populations are more susceptible to disease"

I know what you mean but its missing the word "relative." Having 2 families living on a section of land or two cows instead on one won't lead to increased disease.
Packing thousands of animals/birds into intensive confinement operations certainly does.

Plants are different though - you are confusing monoculture crop with plants in general. You want to see a pasture with a huge plant population of diverse species and you will never find a healthier pasture.

Intensity of production and monoculture anything likely leads to increased disease risk. Bottom line you are fighting nature and you won't win that battle. Mother nature insists on plant/species diversity for a reason.

[Jay-mo]

When FHB raised its ugly head on our farm we conventional tilled, RR canola did not exist and glyphosate had rarely if ever been used on our land.
This year, the winter wheat had a lot of FHB and the hrsw had very little, if any, fhb.
In our area the FHB spores are assumed to be there. Its then the weather that determines whether the spores will flourish or just die off.
Now that we have fungicides like Prosaro or Carumba we have some suppression over this.
The problem the last couple years, is when we really need to spray is when we get enough rain to turn fields into swamp. Ideal for driving a sprayer with skinnies through.....err call the plane.

[sumdumguy]

BreadWinner, who cares who qualifies to have a Ritchies Auction? The day after you bring your new combine and tractor home, you can kiss hundreds of thousands goodbye. I still have on my farm , in use a 760 Versatile that I bought in 1976, not a problem. Not that I don't have newer stuff, but not everyone farms for the equipment dealers. Some put it IN THE BANK.

[BreadWinner]

sumdumguy, you don't think conventional farmers put money in the bank? We have to buy stuff so we don't have to give all back in taxes. That should rattle a few feathers. What do organic farmers do to reduce income tax, buy fertilizer and chemical? NOT so why is there no newer equipment on these farms? JUST AN OBSERVATION.... Some people can learn from there neighbours and most organic guys around here are just existing and that is about it. Not saying organic farming is wrong but it would have to be allot more profitable for me to jump into. I just tend to look at things from a business perspective. If it works for you that is fine. By the way hobbyfarmer was the one who started the auction rant.

[blackpowder]

I think there's a lot of info and logic on this thread.
Too bad there's a lot of BS as well.