Time to start thinking about 2020 crop season
The first snow of the season has fallen and winter is right around the corner, now is the perfect time to start thinking about the 2020 crop season. With some producers still in the process of harvest, maybe you’re wondering if you made the right management decisions? Did you apply your nitrogen at the right time and rate? Did you make that manure application and account for all the nutrients? It’s time to start thinking of ways to manage these nutrients for the best return on investment all while conserving our resources. Ashland SWCD has ways to help you in the 2020 crop season.
Through partnerships and the Jerome Fork watershed grant Ashland SWCD is able to provide crop modeling and other tools to make effective management decision within the Jerome Fork watershed. I am sure that we have all been in a situation where you wonder “what if I did this instead?”. Have you ever thought about being able to run scenarios on your farm to see those what-if outcomes?
One tool we will be offering for the 2020 season is R7 Field Forecasting Tool. This tool allows a producer to run different scenarios to determine the best timing and rate of nutrients, showing you you’re return on investment, and what would happen if you changed application dates or rates. This tool takes into account soil test, weather, potential yield, growing degree days, soil test, tissue test, etc. to determine what your return on investment will be and what affect it will have on your crop.
Dead zones and algae blooms are both issues we have heard a lot about in recent news. Nutrient runoff specifically nitrogen and phosphorus are both nutrients we have to better manage. Adapt-N focuses on the management of nitrogen, this tool utilizes research from Cornell University on how nitrogen moves spatially through the soil over time based on factors such as nitrogen sources (including manure), soil characteristics, field management, and weather data. Adapt-N can provide prescription maps for nitrogen for your fields and help you make the best economic decision while reducing environmental impact.
So, what about phosphorus? On-Field Ohio! is a tool to estimate erosion and phosphorus runoff on each individual field. This program allows a producer to see the differences certain management practices can have on their phosphorus runoff risk by allowing farmers to determine if a change in management practices such as tillage, fertilizer placement, or cover crops would make a difference to reduce erosion and loss of phosphorus.
Ashland SWCD is excited to have the opportunity to work with local farmers and these tools. If these tools interest you we would like to invite you The Ohio Theatre on December 16th 5:30 pm for Extreme Farming: Farm Planning for Extreme Weather hosted by Ashland, Holmes, Richland, and Wayne Soil and Water Conservation District and Farm Bureaus. Please RSVP to Ashland SWCD at 419-281-7645. Please contact us with any questions or if you are interested in these tools for the 2020 crop season. Follow us on Facebook for up to date information and events.
About the Author
Erica White started as the district technician in our office in 2018. Erica graduated from The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in 2017 with an Associate of Applied Science in Crop Management and Soil Conservation with a specialization in Crop Management and an Associate of Application Science in Business Management with a specialization in Agricultural Business. She grew up in Norwalk on a hobby farm and currently lives in Wellington. Erica’s life moto is “life is always better in the barn.” She enjoys spending time with her family (especially her nephew Granger), riding her horses, and playing with her two dogs Ruffus and Jager.