Renewable Farming

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ACRES conference in Omaha Nov. 29-Dec. 2: Your eco-farming opportunity

The ACRES USA conference and trade show is America’s largest, longest-running annual eco-education gathering of farmers. We encourage you to look over the agenda and attend if you can, even if only for just one day. Nov. 25, 2016 — This winter’s ACRES conference is at the Hilton Omaha, Tuesday Nov. 29 through Friday Dec. 2. The […]

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On-farm field test: Beans stayed healthier, yielded more with Vitazyme and WakeUP

Even though we prefer field trials with multiple replications, an experienced farmer can often discern a crop’s response in ways that don’t show up statistically. That’s the case in this split-field trial with foliar-sprayed Vitazyme and WakeUP, applied on soybeans in Iowa in 2016. The yield map from the combine monitor shows a fairly consistent higher

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How to profit from a revival of your soil health and productivity

Our little 40-acre WakeUP research farm is located close to ground zero for a new “Culture of Conservation.” We can see it greening up the Midwest landscape more each fall. But cover crops are just the beginning of what we hope is a new era. Nov. 17, 2016    By Jerry Carlson — That realization hit home yesterday

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Update: Season-long nutrition and disease protection bumped yield monitor over 300 bu.

The 2016 corn yield contest winners typically foliar-fed and side-dressed nutrients through the season to keep corn healthy and adding kernel depth and nutrient density late into the season. Here’s an example of an Iowa grower on rolling ground who does the same — with high-yielding results. Nov. 24, 2016 — On Sept. 24 we

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Crop consultant: Use savings on seed to strengthen season-long crop health

  Bob Streit opened his latest Iowa crop report (posted below) with a special observation for 2017: “My position in this budget crunch time is that in many cases, growers would be better off planting lower traited corn hybrids, then taking part of the savings on seed and doing season-long nutrition needed to keep the crop

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Horsch air seeder sows cereal rye cover crop while you combine

Hal and son Ty Brown of Windy Lane Farms, Indiana, consider cover crops as their “third crop” each season. Their new Horsch air seeder rides piggyback on their combine and blows cereal rye evenly under their 12-row Claas combine header. See the photos below for details on the delivery and control system. Stalks shredded by

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Our first corn trial result of 2106 shows yield boost with AgriEnergy’s “EvenUP”

We’ve found only about one out of three “yield booster” treatments which are consistent performers, year in and year out. The new AgriEnergy Resources in-furrow product, “EvenUP” shows significant promise in our first-season trial on corn.  And as we’ve learned since 2008, using WakeUP formulations can enhance the performance of an already effective product. Here’s

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Early harvest has an upside: More opportunity for biological soil building

Oct. 28, 2016  By Bob Streit, crop consultant     1. Harvest is continuing with more people expecting to finish up by this weekend. The long string of semi-dry weather has helped and much of the corn is down around 16-17%.   2. Even most wet and replanted beans have been harvested. The yields have

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Book early for the best non-GMO hybrids and varieties for 2017

A No-Till Farmer magazine survey of 400 readers indicates an ongoing shift away from Roundup Ready traits.  Non-GMO corn gained share of market in 2016, along with LibertyLink technology.   The survey doesn’t forecast farmers’ intentions for seed choices in 2017. However, from our own visits and observations, the trend toward non-GMO will probably gain acreage again.

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