The Pig Of Pampering And Prayer

Grand daughter Madison raised a very unique pig this year.  It is a Spotted Poland China, which has its beginnings right here in southwest Ohio.  "The present day Spots descend from the Spotted hogs which trace a part of their ancestry to the original Poland China, which consisted of six separate breeds and was referred to as the "Warren County Hog" of Ohio. One such breed imported into Ohio in the early 1880's was a breed called the "Big China", mostly white in color, but having some black spots."

Three men from Putnam and Hendricks Counties, in Indiana, brought boars and sows back from Ohio from time to time to cross with their own good hogs; and thus developed a breed all their own from this background which kept the characteristic color of large black and white spots. At this time, two hogs imported from England, known as "Gloucester Old Spots" added a wonderful stimulant to the breed in the form of new bloodlines.

The pig nearly died early in the project so it became the pig of pampering and prayer.  When you get a pen or barn full of sick pigs, especially the children's project pigs, it's a really bad deal.  I remember we had that one year in the late 80's or early 90's.  I think I spent more on medicine and veterinarian bills than I did on feed.

One lady called Madison's pig a designer pig.  That's a pretty good description of it.  It looks like the spot colors of old but I never saw a Spot built like this one.  We saw it show at our county fair and at the Ohio State fair which ended Sunday.  Every judge liked it and it placed at the top of it's class every time.

Her cousin Cameron showed a Hereford hog at the State Fair.  I remember the Bratton's of Mowrystown showed them when I was a young man.  Spotted pigs and pigs that look like cattle aren't my deal but they add value to the industry.  Inbred traits can be used to improve other breeds by cross breeding.

The F1 hybrid from to separate but pure inbred lines changed the world, just like hybridization did to corn.  That one principle is probably why you and I are here today.  Farmers learned to feed a much larger world than anyone ever dreamed.

Ed

Nodulation

Legume nodulation is not well understood.  Word processors don't even recognize the word nodulate.  Definition: 

1. to cause the formation of nodules on or in nodulating

several different legumes>. intransitive verb. : to form or multiply in nodules ...

"Nodules on many perennial legumes, such as alfalfa and clover, are finger like in shape. Mature nodules may actually resemble a hand with a center mass (palm) and protruding portions (fingers), although the entire nodule is generally less than 1/2 inch in diameter. Nodules on perennials are long-lived and will fix nitrogen through the entire growing season, as long as conditions are favorable. Most of the nodules (10-50 per large alfalfa plant) will be centered around the tap root.

Nodules on annual legumes, such as beans, peanuts and soybeans, are round and can reach the size of a large pea. Nodules on annuals are short-lived and will be replaced constantly during the growing season. At the time of pod fill, nodules on annual legumes generally lose their ability to fix nitrogen, because the plant feeds the developing seed rather than the nodule. Beans will generally have less than 100 nodules per plant, soybeans will have several hundred per plant and peanuts may have 1,000 or more nodules on a well-developed plant."

"Soybeans have a high demand for nitrogen. Approximately, five pounds of nitrogen is required to produce a bushel of soybeans. Fortunately for soybean producers, most of this nitrogen is provided through biological fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by bacteria living in colonies (nodules) on the soybean roots. Biological fixation accounts for 50 to 75 percent of the soybean crops’ total nitrogen requirement. The remainder is obtained from the soil.

Because biological fixation is the major source of nitrogen for soybeans, producers should evaluate a few soybean plants in each field to determine if nodules are present in sufficient numbers and actively fixing nitrogen. This is easy to do and the information gained can be used to correct an in-season nitrogen deficiency or develop strategies for improving nodulation the next time soybeans are grown in the field.

Begin checking roots for nodules about five to six weeks after planting. The nodules should be large and active by this time and supplemental nitrogen fertilizer can still be applied if needed. Always use a shovel to carefully remove as much of the root system as possible from the soil. Dig up at least 10 plants from representative areas in each field and immerse the roots in water to remove the soil. 

Yesterday on our scouting trip we found everything from no nodules to a few small gray ones, to 10-20 large healthy nodules per plant.  I like to see a cluster of nodules on a large root just below the soil and a smaller ones scattered among a healthy root system.  A soybean should not easily pull out of the ground and should require digging at 8 weeks.  Some did yesterday and some you could pluck right out of the soil.

My question for you today is how are your legume crops nodulating?  From garden peas to soybeans, do you have the best environment for nodulation?

Ed Winkle

Apex

Our oldest child Matt and I did our professional development scouting trip yesterday like we did a year ago.  We got to look over my field of Apex soybeans that I got from Keith Schlapkohl in Stockton, Iowa.  We were happy to find clusters similar to what I found in Keith's fields last August.

Matt said a year ago everything we scouted had pods and yesterday we only found 2 fields in the three counties we scouted within 25 miles of where I live.  Matt thought my PH-4389N yellow hilum soybeans bound for Asian shipment was every bit as good as the Apex and probably better.  They have large clusters of pods too.  I asked how much rain do we need to fill those clusters?  We thought the adage of an inch of rain a week was probably the answer.

The point is that the Apex high yield semi dwarf system probably has good application yet today.  It was developed by Dr. Richard Cooper at OARDC a long time ago.  Dr. Schillinger's eMerge soybean program is probably as good and the yellow hilum has a higher premium this year. There are many good links like this one if you dig a little.  The key is how you raise them.  I have followed the steps in this guide as closely as I can.

We have talked about high yield soybeans on this blog.  Soil, drainage, fertility, and pest control are all key to high yield soybeans.  The seed is part of that program, too.  Apex has the RPS-1K gene for phytopthora but we found a few plants in the bottom we thought had succumbed to the disease.  Not a lot, but we did find a few.

The Porter bean which is Dr. Schillinger's eMerge 389 bean likes this weather.  I have scouted probably 1000 acres or more destined for Asia and they look as good as any other non GMO or GMO variety this year.  They are liking the moisture we are receiving this year.  Mine are heavily podding and I used my brain and got my sprays and fertilizers on at the right time.  I must say they look awesome.

I know the struggles and peril's of identity preserved seeds but I am willing to work for the premium because I don't want glyphosate or glufosinate in my soil.  Glufosinate still works here but glyphosate does not.  The cleanest fields we saw were Liberty Link on a farm south of Hillsboro.  He basically had NO weeds  Thanks, Matt, for showing me those.

Which soybean is the highest yielding on your farm and in your area?  I am finding I can grow any soybean adapted to my region if I just treat them right.

Ed Winkle

What Truck Do You Drive?

I saw this question on Machinery Talk and thought it would make a good blog.  Read the responses, some of them are awesome!  Some of these guys think like I do!

"Didn't really know where to post this.. figured this be the best spot.

I am currently driving a 2003 6.0 Ford F-250 diesel crew cab. I am finishing my last semester of school and looking for something different come December. I'm not necessarily looking for anything brand new.. just wanting something newer than what I got. I was just wondering what y'all are driving.. and if you had some pros and cons. I'm not necessarily looking for another diesel either. Thanks in advance, and looking forward to see the variety of answers."

My response was "Young man I drive a 2004 Dodge Dakota quad cab for scouting, got 24 mpg on the last tank full. 2002 4 door Silverado 6 liter, got 15 mpg on last tank full but I tinkered with both of them. I spend my money on farm inputs from land to lime and tile repairs.

The Silverado is my sick leave settlement from 31 years public service and I usually have 3000 lbs on it."

So, what truck do you drive?  Why?  I've never strayed from the 3 American brands over my lifetime even though some "foreign" trucks might actually be more American than mine have.

In retrospect I would love to have the money I've spent on trucks, repairs and fuel but I wouldn't trade the miles for it.  I did it all as cheaply as I could.  I try to keep depreciation below 10 cents per mile and have been able to do so.  It took some mechanic work to make that happen but it took a good, solid truck to even make it feasible.

I would love to have a new truck as much as anyone but I really need another 100 hp tractor right now so I am sort of shopping for one of those instead.  That also would make a good blog since so many people are looking for the same thing.

I spent the day in a 2001 Duramax with nearly 200,000 miles on it so it's good to see my children have the same values.

More about today another day.

Ed Winkle

Ohio Agriculture

Ty Higgins at Ohio Country Journal put together a nice YouTube about Ohio Agriculture, Behind the Scenes.  Take a look at it and learn more about my home state.

LuAnn's brother Tom was amazed to learn we grow over 3 million acres of corn in our little state and even more soybeans.  As explained how I farm and the challenges we face as farmers, I saw two curious consumers interested in everything I told them from the cost of inputs to delivering a product that is used in most of the foods we all consume.

That old statement that Ohio had more prime farmland than any other state and to think about what happened to it still bugs me.  Ohio was a key state when Cincinnati was Porkopolis and still is in many ways.  I even explained how our state road is the old Chillicothe Pike when Cincinnati slaughtered hogs and brewed beer but our capitol was in Chillicothe because much our state was settle from the south first.  That's how my family got established here, for sure.

Ohio has since been a leading industrial and automotive state and now a rust belt state as that all passed away.  Agriculture never passed away and we still are a strong agricultural state.  The video helps show that.

Our state fair is on right now in Columbus and it used to showcase our strong agricultural roots.  Now, even it is just a glimpse of what we used to be as a few families gather to show livestock and the rest go for food and entertainment.

Ohio has never been an "I State" but it is 4 letters just like Iowa, both Native American names.  It's a good state and been a great home for the Winkle family.  Iowa is my favorite state because it's lay of the land and it's a very large agricultural state.  Ohio isn't too bad and it will have to do.

With grandchild number 12 coming soon, our roots are deeply anchored in Ohio.

Have you been to Ohio?  What is your impression of it?

Ed Winkle

Sign of the Heart

A neighbor and I were talking last week and he told me about mowing Canada Thistle in the sign of the heart and the weeds dying.  I looked it up and here it is

"There are certainly many control methods offered by specialists and others who claim success in killing this weed.  If you’ve been around older farmers who follow moon signs, then you might have heard this one:  “Mow Canada thistle when the (zodiac) sign is in the heart and they will bleed out and die”.

Well, unfortunately there isn’t research to back up this method.  Some specialists offer that a combination of practices including mowing, tillage and herbicide application can effectively control Canada thistle.  Other ideas have been researched including planting Sudangrass in early June as a summer cover crop in areas heavily affected by Canada thistle.  There is on-going research by the University of Illinois with northern Illinois farmers planting Sudangrass.  Findings from this study are that the Sudangrass out competes Canada thistle because it grows taller and basically smothers it  .

Weed scientists do agree that an herbicide application to control Canada thistle is most effective in the fall.   This is because the plant is looking to recharge its root system for a flush of growth around the time of the first frost.  A systemic herbicide with active ingredients such as glyphosate, 2,4-D, dicamba, or aminopyralid applied at this time will move to the same plant parts as the carbohydrates needed for growth.

Some recent research suggests that fall applications of herbicides to control Canada thistle can wait until late October or early November.  Mark Loux, an Ohio State University Extension specialist, feels that herbicides are most active after a frost with perennial weeds.  He notes that Canada thistle should be 8 to 12 inches tall when applying herbicide in the fall (Ohio State C.O.R.N. Newsletter 2010-33)."

Canada thistle is making a comeback even though glyphosate seemed to wipe it out for awhile.  It hasn't been this heavy since we started using Basagran to control thistle 30 years ago.

I have a bunch to wipe out so I've been reading up on it and thought it might make a good topic today.

Ed Winkle

Scouting

Farmers, paid scouts of all kinds and interested suppliers are scouting fields all over the world as I write this.  It's kind of amazing if you think about it.  We invest so much money in a crop, it behooves us to watch its progress to see how it is doing.  Plant stands have been taken now in America so I imagine most are scouting for weeds, insects, and diseases.  Now would be a good time to pull plant tissue for a plant tissue test in flowering corn, soybeans, spring wheat and other crops.

Corn pollination is being closely watched across the midwest.  Pollination is critical to full yield.  There are some problems but overall, pollination seems to be going pretty well.  Many notice some of the longest silks they can remember in recent history.  Excess water and temperature extremes have caused the corn plants to make sure there is enough silk for pollen to fall onto.

I just finished scouting 2,000 acres of soybeans bound for Asian delivery next year.  Overall that crop is in good shape.  The main reason I am there is to ensure the variety the buyer wants to buy is the one planted in the mapped fields.  I only found a couple of problems, probably due to seed mixups.  Clear or yellow hilum soybeans are in demand again around the world to make tofu and various foods containing soybeans.

While I am there, I check crop and field conditions, field borders, and identify every weed, disease and insect problem I find in that field.  Marestail and Giant Ragweed is marked in almost every field.  Most fields have only a light or low population but some are moderate populations and some fields have heavy areas of weeds where weed control failed.  I mark my scouting forms accordingly.

I've enjoyed walking fields since I was able to walk.  I like to teach others what I've learned also so I've trained many scouts.

How do crops look where you live?  The crop looks so good the market has taken $2 off the corn crop for fall delivery and $3 per bushel off the soybean crop.  This is cause for great concern when the farmers budget was predicting a higher price next year.  Extra bushels this year may offset this lost and it may not.

Scouting with the spray rig doesn't count.  You've got to get out and cover every acre of every field all summer if you really want to see what is going on in your fields.

That's the game of farming.

Ed Winkle