Plowing 101

[mysticokra]

I have a 77 acre farm with about 35 acres that are tillable. I would like to begin rebuilding the soil using green manure and a few seed crops to attract doves and quail. I don't plan on using any herbicides. I expect to try to get things organically certified in 2 more years.

My problem is that I don't know the first thing about how to prepare the ground. My neighbor has offered to loan me his tractor and harrow. How do I break up the soil and what device would I use to plant hairy vetch, millet or buckwheat? Is there a plowing 101 book somewhere?

Thanks.

[Argee]

mysticokra,

There are many good books available on the subject and many different opinions on how to start.

The one thing we really need to know is where this property is!! That would help in recommending a thriving cover crop.

One book you may find interesting is "The Real Dirt" available through Northeast Region SARE/ACE program in Burlington, VT. Phone is (802) 656-0471 E-mail nesare@zoo.uvm.edu ..........it discusses the different input practices for obtaining a certified farm..

The other one that comes to mind is..."Steel In The Field".....a farmers guide to weed management tools.....available though the same agency.....something your definitely going to need if your going in at the scale mentioned.

Hope this helps!

[mysticokra]

Thanks, Silver Member.

Our farm is located in the northeast corner of Alabama. The mountain ridge is covered in trees and the bottom land has been used to grow soybeans and corn in the past. The soil test came back recommending 2.5 tons/acre of lime and the usual NPK numbers. The fields have been fallow the past 18 months. Since I have the luxury of developing the profitability of the place at my own pace, (I still have that city job) I thought I would dedicate early resources to improving the soil. I am bounded by two creeks, so we usually have more than enough water. Direct sun is shorter than some places because we are in the valley. I have even considered fencing the area and putting some livestock on it for the benefits of the manure. My fear is that I do too much too soon and in the wrong order. I am appreciative of your suggestions.

[Argee]

You say the land has been fallow for the last 18 months. Does that mean nothing has been growing or that a grass crop of sorts has been introduced?

If the sooner is correct, and nothing is growing, you may have lost some topsoil to erosion(wind and water). If that's the case you'll want to get some biomass going. A good crop to develop that would be consecutive crops of buckwheat, disking each one in just as it starts to flower. With your growing season, you could probably get three crops in this year. Then this fall introduce a cover crop such as winter rye mixed with some hairy vetch, using the rye as a nurse crop. This will introduce some readily available nitrogen for the next crop. Then come spring, disk in and seed with locally available pasture grass mix.

[Stoneheartfarm]

The last time we planted buckwheat, it was only a few acres and we used a hand cranked seeder. It takes a lot of walking and cranking, but it's possible. How many of the 35 acres do you plant to till?

Steve

[mysticokra]

The last known previous crop was soybeans 18 months ago. They did not plow them under. This year we have chickweed, yellow buttercup looking weeds, Princess Anne's lace, patches of clover, tall weeds that could pass for fishing poles but no real grass. I suspect the herbicides from the previous use are still fading. I cut it all down with a brush hog Saturday and Sunday.

Would there be any benefit to using a disc on this now? I have access to a Ford 3000 Tractor, so I suspect I could disc and broadcast some seed on the same pass.

Given how sore my back is today from all the bouncing, the idea of Zero til is appealing. Any way to do that without herbicides?

Thanks.

[brosil]

It's possible to farm without plowing using a disk as your soil turning tool but it's hard until there's enough organic matter to loosen the topsoil. I'm trying it and it could be working better. There are also very large PTO rototillers for tractors. We have some farmers in our area using those. I have no idea of cost or availability.

[egon]

There are many farming areas where plows are no longer used. They have a tendency to induce wind erosion with the way they work.

The disc and cultivator have taken over as the implement of choice.

Other areas are going the zero tillage route.

Serious farming of large acreage would never use a roto tiller.

Egon