Why are Farmers never happy?

[DeereClone]

Farmers could certainly do a better job of soil conservation and nitrogen runoff. Vast majority of nitrogen in the water comes from farms. That's a scientific fact.

There is a point to royalcy on the lawn runoff too though. We care about our lawns wayyy too much in this country and heavy rains drive nitrogen runoff into storm sewers. I am remembering a thread on here where someone was putting fertilizer on their lawn 4 times a year. If you are one of those people you would be extremely hypocritical to criticize farmers as they use very calculated rates. Precision agriculture with soil testing is improving excess use somewhat. Most people applying on their lawn have no idea what thier soil profile is.

On your tech point - I have a computer program that I can build variable rate prescriptions from. These scrips are made using Cation Exchange Capacity (nutrient holding capacity), historical yields, and soil test levels on different nutrients. I do this on 2.5 acre grids so on a 160 acre field there are 64 different amounts of fertilizer applied to match the productivity in each of those 2.5 acre tracts within the larger field. It’s pretty incredible how far some of this stuff has come.

 

[WISCY1895]

Interesting, I didn't know Texas was big into cotton.

Just looked it up Texas currently produces 40% of the total US cotton crop. The US is third in the world in total cotton production but it is half the size of #1 and #2 China and India. They are very similar in size so they trade back and forth on who is the largest.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Just looked it up Texas currently produces 40% of the total US cotton crop. The US is third in the world in total cotton production but it is half the size of #1 and #2 China and India. They are very similar in size so they trade back and forth on who is the largest.

Driving through the Carolinas I remember seeing my first cotton fields. So different than what we see here.

 

[HitItHard58]

Being a CCA mail carrier without your own route yet is the worst. Especially if you don’t have a 40 hour or 8 hour a day doctors note for management. They will literally make you work 60+ hours a week running around doing others routes that need delivered. That **** is hell during 100 degree days and -20 degree days.

City with an all walking route that's almost 12 miles. Yesterday the mail was insanely heavy, it was hotter than a witch's tit, and I had an hour and a half I had to carry off another route when I was done with mine. Drank water consistently all day and still thought my body was going to shut down by the end of the day. Today there was hardly any mail and I basically got paid to stroll around listening to podcasts and music. That job is either enough to make you want to just say **** it and quit or it's too damn easy. Nothing in between.

 

[NWICY]

I really could go for a BBops burger now.

If you're ever in the Albert Lea Mn stop at AL's Burgers, it is quite new, their burgers are really good for the price. Not as fast as BBops more of a Culver's speed. Everything is sold separate ( I don't remember any combo's) but a burger and fries comes out to like $8. It is a good value burger IMO.

Edit: it's in the little strip mall north of Walmart off the interstate just a bit.

 

[CyPhallus]

On your tech point - I have a computer program that I can build variable rate prescriptions from. These scrips are made using Cation Exchange Capacity (nutrient holding capacity), historical yields, and soil test levels on different nutrients. I do this on 2.5 acre grids so on a 160 acre field there are 64 different amounts of fertilizer applied to match the productivity in each of those 2.5 acre tracts within the larger field. It’s pretty incredible how far some of this stuff has come.

SMS ftw, JD op center blows.

 

[RedDog]

On your tech point - I have a computer program that I can build variable rate prescriptions from. These scrips are made using Cation Exchange Capacity (nutrient holding capacity), historical yields, and soil test levels on different nutrients. I do this on 2.5 acre grids so on a 160 acre field there are 64 different amounts of fertilizer applied to match the productivity in each of those 2.5 acre tracts within the larger field. It’s pretty incredible how far some of this stuff has come.

You've come a long way since Agron 154 pilgrim.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

On your tech point - I have a computer program that I can build variable rate prescriptions from. These scrips are made using Cation Exchange Capacity (nutrient holding capacity), historical yields, and soil test levels on different nutrients. I do this on 2.5 acre grids so on a 160 acre field there are 64 different amounts of fertilizer applied to match the productivity in each of those 2.5 acre tracts within the larger field. It’s pretty incredible how far some of this stuff has come.

So if I'm following you have that on a self piloted gps kind of thing? That's pretty amazing.

 

[CyPhallus]

So if I'm following you have that on a self piloted gps kind of thing? That's pretty amazing.

You can set it up that way if you want, guidance lines into a autosteer setup like a JD or Agleader display and then you stop at the waypoints to take the sample.

But there are pull behind soil sampling platforms that are 100% automated like you are imagining, they even bag and label the sample with a barcode to send into the soil test labs. Expensive but really cool machines.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

You can set it up that way if you want, guidance lines into a autosteer setup like a JD or Agleader display and then you stop at the waypoints to take the sample.

But there are pull behind soil sampling platforms that are 100% automated like you are imagining, they even bag and label the sample with a barcode to send into the soil test labs. Expensive but really cool machines.

That is so bad ass.

 

[CyPhallus]

You've come a long way since Agron 154 pilgrim.

Don't know if Dr. Manu is still there but he was the man. As long as you never said "dirt".

 

[DeereClone]

So if I'm following you have that on a self piloted gps kind of thing? That's pretty amazing.

I use my gator to pull soil samples with an iPad that tracks where I pull the samples using GPS data. Then that info goes into the computer program that builds the prescription. The prescription goes to the fertilizer applicator that has the ability to change fertilizer rate on the fly in the field to match the prescription.

 

[CyPhallus]

I use my gator to pull soil samples with an iPad that tracks where I pull the samples using GPS data. Then that info goes into the computer program that builds the prescription. The prescription goes to the fertilizer applicator that has the ability to change fertilizer rate on the fly in the field to match the prescription.

Use Midwest Labs?

 

[DeereClone]

Use Midwest Labs?

Yep

 

[simply1]

I will be transparent with you. I work in research for one of the big ag companies. We are spending billions a year on R&D. A lot of it to come up with products that can adapt to climate change. We wouldn’t have the money to spend on that if farmers kept their seed and planted it. Public lines are being developed for people to buy and replant but the rate at which those come out is significantly slower because there isn’t the money to spend on R&D. That comes from grants and university funds

The end justifies the means argument, bravo.

 

[06_CY]

I kind of want to go buy an old farm tractor now just to drive around West Des Moines.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

I kind of want to go buy an old farm tractor now just to drive around West Des Moines.

Guy that lives in my area has two mint condition old fashioned John Deere tractors. He takes them out for a spin occasionally.

 

[CyPhallus]

I kind of want to go buy an old farm tractor now just to drive around West Des Moines.

I recommend a 4020, your kids can pass it down to their kids and it will probably still run just as good if you give it an oil change once sometime in that time period.

 

[dahliaclone]

I swing both ways see last post.

I knew it

 

[Acylum]

SIAP:
Prostitute #1: God I hate when I get a farmer.
Prostitute #2: How can you tell if they’re a farmer?
Prostitute #1: First they complain you’re too dry, then they complain you’re too wet, and when they’re done they ask if they can wait to pay you in November.