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Callao, Missouri | I have ground under contract with a neighbor to farm once it comes out of CRP at the end of 08. I took soil samples of the ground this fall so we could get a better idea of what it needed, as the neighbor is supposed to bring it "up to test" before I begin farming it (First year 2009).
I got the soil tests back the other day, and it calls for quite a bit of everything....ha ha...no seriously, everything. I plan on planting most of this ground to no-till soybeans after burning the CRP in the spring of 09. I really don't want to tear up the ground, as I will lose the O.M. and structure that has built up the last 10 years. There are also some pretty good slopes on some of it.
How should we approach putting on the Lime (about 3 ton), P, and K? I will be cash renting it from them for the same amount that the renewed CRP extension would pay them. They are retired (still has cattle) and are basically fixed income (and the CRP makes up the largest part of their income). I don't want to hit them with the entire bill for this project at the end of 08, and I'm not sure that would be the best thing to do agronomically anyway, because the lime and nutrients won't be incorporated.
My accountant tells me that it would be better for them to pay for these things before the CRP contract expires, as their CRP payment goes to their 1040F, and when I take over, the payment that I give them will instead be considered Rents (not on schedule F). If we do these things before the CRP expires, we can lower their Self-Employment tax liability.
But if we apply the lime, p, and k too early before I actually start to farm it, will we get proper utilization, or will our clay soils fix these things so that they are unavailable to my crops in 09? Will the pH remain about the same if we put the lime on in say.. winter 07? It would be nice to put on lime in winter of 07, and then the p and k in 08. This would spread out their cost burden quite a bit. CEC of the soil is between 10-15, its mostly Armstrong Clay Loam, O.M. about 2%, some hillsides pretty eroded.
Another option is for me to just put it on and reduce their rents accordingly. I project that I will have my hands full financially anyway during this time period, so I hate to speak up for more obligations...with my luck 2009 and 2010 will be drought years for us anyway.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Scott
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Calling All Soil Experts/Economists....Fertility Questions
