HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-3-20, Page 34•
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Ashfield farmers employ conservation
By Sharon Dietz
Three Ashfield Township farmers, who are
employing soil conservation pracives on their
farms to control soil erosion and save money,
were honoured with an award f rr their work
in promoting conservation by the Huron Soils
Crop Improvement Association this year.
Ray, Flaneis and Lawrence Hogan received
The Norm Alexander Award, which recogniz-
es farmers in Huron County who have
implemented conservation practices on their
farms and worked to promote conservation
practices within the county, at the associa-
tion's annual banquet in January.
The Hogans held a demonstration day June
28 last year to inform Ashfield Township and
other area fanners about the soil conservation
practices they employ on their farms. A tour
of three of their farms incl.rdzd reduced
tillage practices and weer management
structures to control soil erosion.
Ray Hogan has a no -till corn crop last
summer which he -believes was a better crop
of nom than he has ever grown. The soil was
neither fall nor spring plowed, although
Hogan did remove every two vows of com
stalks out of every four the previous fall and
shallow diseed once in the spring.
The field varies from sand loam in the high
spots to clay in the low lying areas and the
crop is uniform throughout tete field. 'hash
whippers on Hogan's com planter which has
been equipped with several devices for no -till
seeding, push the residue from last year's
crop aside, and part the rows allowing the soil
to warm up and dry, promoting germination
and emergence of the seedlings.
Hogan estimates the variations to his
planter haver, cyst about $2,00Q but this money
saved because hellos done no fall plowing
and less tillage in the sprung before planting.
Because he has no fall plowing to do, Hagan
fends he can grow fill season on most of.his
acreage. He can harvest more crop and leave
it in the field longer until it, becomes drier
since he cap harvest later.
Ray used conservation disc turnovers to
rrrov� residue from the seed bed area.
EYmrergence in the no -till area was as good
or better than the disced trial. Early growth
was also better in the no -till area with no
killed out areas where water lay after the farm
received three inches of rain on May 22 and 2
- 3 inches on May 25. Ray now feels even one
spring discing causes compaction which
reduces infiltration and increased water
enoff and erosion.
Erosion occurred in the no -till area also,
especially in the two rows where coo stalks
had been fall harvested. In the areas where
all the residue remained, Ray feels there was
less erosion. Ray says he will pasture cows on
com stover as they harvest it more evenly,
and reduce the number of stover bales he
removes and use more wheat straw ooh
fodder.
Ray observed the first year no -till had
better emergenas than the second year trial,
but this was caused mainly by small ridges
which had been formed by scuffling the
previous year. The small ridges gave him dry
soil to move with the disc furrowers while
planting. Even rows which were driven on by
the combine tires maintained enough of a
ridge to allow easier movement of soil and
residue without planting into a trench.
The second year no -till which had not been
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scuffled was more difficult to plant as it has
harder to remove residue without moving too
mud- soil, particularly where the combine
tires had compacted the soil and residue.
Rainfall throughout June and mid July was
adequate. Three-quarters of an inch of rain
fell between July 15 and the end of August
and Ray believes he lost yield because of this.
Ray plans to modify a cultivator to form low
ridges in a high residue situation. Effective
management of residue protects the soil from
wind and water erosion and improves crop
yield according to Robert Taut, conservation
agronomist with the Huron Soil and Water
Conservation District. Trout describes the
advantages of no -till, ridge planting of crops
and water erosion control structures.
Trash whippers mounted in front of the
gauge wheel on a planter trove the residue
aside leaving a dear area to plant the seed. If
the residue is permitted to remain up around
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