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New Lexington, Ohio | I've been in the process of starting my own "farm" over the past few years - acquiring equipment and knowledge, while trying to pick up some ground here and there. A co-worker of mine just picked up a farm close by with a field around 20 acres. He makes hay off the adjoining farm and wants to bale some straw next year to sell. Long story short, we are going to farm it together, splitting costs. He will get the straw and I will get the grain. Here's what I know about the field: it is a pasture field currently, but very weedy. Its around 20 acres and has been reclaimed from strip mining. The field was limed last week and should have been sprayed yesterday. I took some soil samples and need to get that sent in for an analysis. After this year's wheat project, he wants to plant the ground back to hay.
So... I've never grown wheat before; and I have more questions than answers.
1. What would you guys do for planting? There are a couple of rough spots in the field that need worked. I thought about mowing the grass after its sprayed and disking it. I'm afraid to moldboard plow, and the ground has too many rough areas to no-till and forget it. Besides, I would need to rent a drill to no-till. How would you prep and plant?
2. What seed companies do you think would work well? We are in Southeast Ohio on the edge of farm country.
3. When should this wheat get sprayed again?
4. When should we apply fertilizer? I am planning on broadcasting according to my soil tests prior to planting, but shouldn't I top dress Nitrogen sometime in the spring? When and how much?
5. Anything else I should know?
Thanks in advance for any help.
John | |
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A little project - Big questions
