Soil sampling

[Braveheart]

SWAT maps done on whole farm so we use agronomist to sample.

[the big wheel]

Dry year so fertilizer didn’t migrate far from the place it was put in the ground. Mid row band in my case. If you don’t do some cores from the seed row you don’t get any of the seed row fert in the soil test, do too much and it skews numbers the other way.

Hit the mid row band too many times the test reads high, go 3” from the band and the fertilizer might not have got there this year.

I find it very, very hard to be random when using a manual sampler. Truck mount units just hit the brakes and sample wherever. As long as they do lots of cores per sample, I think they are more accurate.

When I used farmers edge a few years ago they tested 0-6” and 6-24” for me. It was way more accurate than my old 0-6” testing. Amazing how some years had huge reserves in that 6-24” and other years nothing. I no longer use Farmers Edge, and it is really, really hard to get 24” deep in dry clay soil, but I recommend finding a soil sample outfit that can do it.

Those who grew 50-60% of a normal crop and very high protein might have to use somewhat normal rates of fertilizer next year. A lot of us with 10-35% of a normal crop can cut way back.

Crops after the droughts of 2001 and 2002 I cut way back on fertilizer and grew the same yielding crops as my neighbors who didn’t cut rates back as they were too scared.

A lot of crop marketing guys and agronomists should be looking for new jobs next year. Idiot agronomists locally had their clients spraying fungicide on crops that at best looked like 40% of normal yield at application time, with no rsin forecasted. I think a lot of these guys must be getting kick backs from suppliers.

I wonder with side band with next to no rain
Would n even be down 6 inches?

[SASKFARMER]

Back in the 80s when we used Variable rate for anhydrous we had it done in low and high areas as fields are all same soil for the most part.

Variable was fun till the drought years in the 80s then really did nothing special. We were trying to build higher areas up.

Now for the last 20 plus, I hire out they GPS the same fields so we have 20 years of reference to go by. We also do plant tissue tests in summer to see if I got it right. Also, have a buddy from UofS that is a soil science major so year if I have questions that help.

It's all about knowing your land not having someone tell you what's happening. You farm know your farm. Soil and moisture are key to everything you grow.

Ours will be done next week. Pig shit is applied so will be an interesting field to study again. Also with half yields will be interesting to see what's left.

Plus what the 5 inches did with nutrients in August will be also of interest.

[bucket]

This tells the story.

Hailed out volunteer mustard.

[bucket]

It actually tells alot of stories.

1. There was no moisture to move the nitrogen out of the mid row in 2021.
2. The mustard he grew this year has excellent germination after being hailed out.
3. He may have an issue with volunteer mustard in 2022. While not a recommended strategy - mustard on mustard?
4. We need moisture .

[fcr]

Dry year so fertilizer didn’t migrate far from the place it was put in the ground. Mid row band in my case. If you don’t do some cores from the seed row you don’t get any of the seed row fert in the soil test, do too much and it skews numbers the other way.

Hit the mid row band too many times the test reads high, go 3” from the band and the fertilizer might not have got there this year.

I find it very, very hard to be random when using a manual sampler. Truck mount units just hit the brakes and sample wherever. As long as they do lots of cores per sample, I think they are more accurate.

When I used farmers edge a few years ago they tested 0-6” and 6-24” for me. It was way more accurate than my old 0-6” testing. Amazing how some years had huge reserves in that 6-24” and other years nothing. I no longer use Farmers Edge, and it is really, really hard to get 24” deep in dry clay soil, but I recommend finding a soil sample outfit that can do it.

Those who grew 50-60% of a normal crop and very high protein might have to use somewhat normal rates of fertilizer next year. A lot of us with 10-35% of a normal crop can cut way back.

Crops after the droughts of 2001 and 2002 I cut way back on fertilizer and grew the same yielding crops as my neighbors who didn’t cut rates back as they were too scared.

A lot of crop marketing guys and agronomists should be looking for new jobs next year. Idiot agronomists locally had their clients spraying fungicide on crops that at best looked like 40% of normal yield at application time, with no rsin forecasted. I think a lot of these guys must be getting kick backs from suppliers.

A family member worked for a large crop input supplier, and yes for sure they received very generous kick backs from chem. companies to use their products.Plus a commission on sales on top of a good salary.Then you add in all the chem. company reps and their costs.