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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1983-05-04, Page 221 Pogo 10A Times -Advocate, May 4, 1983 Huron farm and home news Huron 0•H youths win at trl.c.unty competltlon Last week when 1 was in the Clinton OMAF office, John Heard, the Assistant Ag Rep, was telling the an interesting fertilizer story. He was talk- ing to a farmer about fer- tilizer recommendations. The farmer had 80 acres of corn. He had soil tested it as four separate 20 acre fields. The tests indicated no need for phosphorus and 0 to 30 kg/ha of potash - depending on the field. The Guelph lab also recommended 100 kg/ha of nitrogen. John had suggested that the farmer not follow the printout to the letter. Instead, John suggested that he use 20 kg/ha.of phosphorus and 40 kg/ha of potash. Even on the fields where no potash was re- quired. This extra P and K is insurance against low fertili- ty areas of the field, equip- ment that doesn't work pro- perly, etc. He also suggested that the farmer use 120 kg/ha of nitrogen. His fields had been yielding about 100 bu/acre. However, the farmer then got a recommendation (which John was trying to talk him out of ) to apply a lot more fer- tilizer than John recommend- ed. We calculated the cost of this other fertilizer recom- mendation and it amounted to $2.500 more for phosphorus and potash. This was $2,500 more than . John's very generous recommendation. Discrepancies like this us- ed to bother me. When 1 would see you spending all kinds of money on fertilizer that you didn't need. However, that's in the past. Partly because recommen- ding fertilizer is not a black and white science. There are many variables and unknowns. People who make fertilizer recommendations use their experiences and research information to make recommendations. We in OMAF base all our ,recommendations on research that is done in On- tario. We will make allowances for equipment, variation in the field and con- venience of using one fer- tilizer blend for•3 or 4 fields, realizing we are over - recommending on some fields. I will also make a fertilizer recommendation to suit you. If I know you worry a. lot about fertilizer, I will recom- mend more fertilizer than your crop needs. I say the ex- tra fertilizer is for your benefit, not the crops. However, if you are really watching the dollars I will shave rates, knowing that higher rates may return you more profit. If you have limited finances. those limited finances may return you even more profit in livestock or equipment. Back to the reliability of recommendations. As I said, we in OMAF base our recom- mendations on Ontario research. There are many Archie and Doris Howie live on Concession 6 in West Garafraxa Township. Well- ington Cpunty. It is a small home nestled among the bushes, almost in- visible from the gravel road in front of it. A visitor is greeted by at least three dogs at the gate, friendly fellows who bounce along beside you. A couple of curious horses poke velvet noses over a white fence. It's a peaceful scene. In- side. Archie and Doris spend a few minutes getting a litter of spaniel pups to lower their voices. They are Cavalier 51 other labs that base their recommendations on U.S. research. If you are not satisfied with our labs try so- meone else's. In fact, there are even a couple of firms in Ontario that charge so many dollars per acre just to soil test and make recommenda- tions. If .you are not satisfied with OMAF and you are not satisfied with the fertilizer companies - you should try one of these firms. Do you need extra N if applied preplant? Recently 1 reviewed some long term nitrogen studies done by Ridgetown College. This research compared nitrogen rates preplant ,vs sidedress. In 19 trials between 1964 and 1973 there was a .12 to .36 tonnes/hectare advan- tage by sidedressing nitrogen. The results of this research indicated you should apply an additional 30 kg/ha of nitrogen if you preplanted your nitrogen on certain soils in Ontario. However, in another series of 12 trials between 1977 and 1980 conducted by RCAT there was a .12 tonnes/hec- tare reduction in yield if nitrogen was sidedressed vs preplanted. The summary of all this ac- cording to Ken Stevenson is that 65 percent of the time there .is no need for extra -N preplan!. Your N rate There is no Ontario soil test for nitrogen. We used to test e 1ootinffiie br l.tt... a. ppr.a V•.d by Bae Trois, tideland tee., O. 1131 TCr King Charles spaniels. all potential champions. This couple loves animals. It is obvious. But they have a complaint against the Farm Credit Corporation. Archie. 46. and Doris. 39. want to become pork pro- ducers. They love pigs and they found the perfect opera- tion just a few miles away from where they live for sale at $122,000. ' • Because the little property they own would help only to stock their operation, they needed a 100 -percent loan. Although not usually done, 100 -percent loans' have AMI SS [AVESTROUGH °°"""`°SIDING Ask About Our SAVINGS • Stela) Shutters • Aluminum Storm Doors & Windows • Aluminum Awnings • The energy window roll shutters system • Renovations General Construction FREE ESTIMATES JIM BECK 1 s A CONSTRUCTION DASHWOOD 237-3526 Building depondat equipment since 1883. Rotaspreader. Totally galvanized water- tight body keeps loading areas and roads clean. Powerful spreading action, pulverizes thoroughly. Tough, multiple Iree- swinging chain floils thoroughly shred manure, spreading it out the side of the tank in broad, blanket. like swaths, up to 20 feet wide. Truck type wheel hubs and spindles 'contain tapered roller bearings. See your Starline Dealer for details on the Star -trot swee • stakes For Complete Sales, Service & Installation CaII r we Are Ream DENNIS WEBB Equrpperd TIM BROWN --•-... .Fasrsdr.+r 4 mi North of Grand Bend on Hwy. 21 AR 1. Dashwood, Ontario 519-238 2301 '4 sometimes been granted -by the FCC. Archie is a registered in- dustrial accountant and teaches in the business divi- sion at Conestoga College. He wascomptroller for anumber Of companies before being hired.as a teacher three years ago. Doris is a bookkeeper - accountant -office manager. Between them, they have 50 years' business experience. No farming experience, mind you. just business experience. But they love animals. The property they wanted for their farrow -to -finish operation includes 100 acres of land, 93 workable, a 5.0(10 -square -foot barn set up with farrowing crates, pens, bagfan, watering system, stable cleaner and liquid manure system. Ideal, they felt, and they had a five-year plan to make it a viable operation. And they had the plan on paper. Eagerly, they put an offer on the property to expire,in 45 days. It already had a $51,000 FCC mortgage on it but was not being worked. The owner was in Florida. With their. dream-of-a- lifetitne idea of being pork producers, they went to the Guelph office of FCC to app- ly for financing. "We thought we fit the criteria," says Archie. They planned to be self- sufficient in five years. They were old enough to enter a contract. They are Canadian citizens. They felt with their detailed plan, 'their love of animals. their business ex- perience that they had the ability to manage and repay the loan. And they definitely had a need. But the loon was refused. In fact. the Guelph office even refused to grant them an ap- plication! They were given no reason in writing for the refusal. And they are more than little perturbed. "We feel there is a definite and urgent need for a parliamentary review of the mandate of the Farm Credit ('orporation," said Doris in a letter to Perrin Beatty, MP for Wellington-Dufferin-Peel. "In this depressed economy when family farms are suc- cumbing on all sides and cor- porate chains are striving to control the food chain, it seems the Farm Credit Cor- poration is providing low- interest loans for residential housing and inoperative facilities but will not give even an application to a cou- ple of sincere people who want to farm." They are asking interesting questions. Was their applica- tion refused because of their age? Was it because they wanted 100 -percent financ- ing? Was it because Ihey had no farming experience? ()r was it because of some bureaucratic bungling? They do not know. The op- tion on the property has elaps- ed and Ihey have received nothing in writing from FC('. The corporation wouldn't even accept their application and they are still wondering why. soils for N. But research showed that the release of N froOntario soils as un- recommend set rates for dl1- rates vary with the yield predictablme. As a rewsult we ferent crops. For corn the,e history of a field. S GROWING PROBLEMS — Patty O'Toole's project at the recent Separate School science fair centred on soil problems. You should determine your N rate from past experience. Corn responds to nitrogen much more than it responds to phosphorus and potash. To make use of this fact, you have to keep records on farms and fields. Lead feed with nitrogen your fields with a history bf high yields. But if a field only yields 90 bu/acre there is no need to put on enough N for a 120 bu/acre crop. Nitrogen sources compared The RCAT trials compared sources of nitrogen as they af- fected corn yields. In a sum- mary of 9 trials, corn treated with ammonium nitrate yield- ed the same as corn treated with urea - t that is the same rate of actual nitrogen). However, anhydrous am- monia outyielded the urea and ammonia nitrate plots by 2 to 3 percent. Long term phosphorus trials -41111 The University of Guelph recently released some long term phsophate trials. These Please turn to page 11A Precious Blood Drainage pays off in soil aeration God drainage aerates the sot, PFCAACir19 several benefits Release ce nitrogen nom organic matter is accelerated and sod warms up faster since heat is not required for surfoce evaporation A test in Ohio once showed a 12 degree deference between drained and urldrorned land on one Apnl day And when o warm torn feu, there was a 20 degree deference between the t. rnperoture of the cool and the file discharger Sot temperatures make a vast difference to planting schedules HISTnER Drainage R.R. 1 Gadshill, Ontario NOK 1.10 519.6364618 SPECIALIZING IN TRENCHLESS CLAY INSTALLATIONS DIRECT FARM D ELl VERY OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA NEW 7600 gallon Delivery Truck Anhydrous Delivery * .Safe * Efficient * Time Saving * Convenient HENSALL CO-OP For complete Anhydrous Servlce t raj 30,000 Gallon Storage Tank S AVA•, Art r .•A Reconditioned Applicators 1000 Gallon Nurse Tanks HENSALL DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE Hensall 262-3002 FINANCING AYAIIAI( r TH110U6N