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Coldwater, Michigan | It has always been interesting to me to read and hear about people growing record breaking yields. In the 70's there was a young man west of where I currently live, who was growing 300+ BPA corn. Wow! How did he do it?
Then there was Herman Warsaw, then Francis Childs, then Ray Rawson, now Kip Cullers.
And I read and listen to them all. To try to pick out something that will click and work for most people. I enjoyed listening to Francis Childs about 4 -5 different times. He always seemed to have something that a person could apply that didn't cost a whole lot, if anything, and it seemed to make sense. Even if you never achieved 400+ BPA. Some of what he talked about I have seen from experience, yet people still do them today.
Ray Rawson, I think had some good stuff. But in typical Rawson fashion, it was going to cost you to find out about it. Even then you probably were never going to see the "Holy Grail". But there were things you could learn, and I feel I have seen some positive results as a result of listening to Ray about 7 different times, and visiting the farm 2 times.
Kip Cullers: don't know about him. I haven't been near him.
Each one of these people have raised the bar as far as what is possible. Even if we only learn one thing from them, we have progressed. It was with interest that I read the article linked the other day concerning Kip. It stated that he plants 300,000 seeds/acre in his soybean fields. That caught my eye, because we have for the past 35 years, or more, been trying to plant less/acre and get the same yield. See discussion below concerning "Becks Seeds". When I was with Callahan seeds in the 70's we were telling people to plant 50#/acre in 30" rows, instead of 70-90#/acre. People accussed us of saying that just to keep the seed cost down. Does that sound familiar? Now you want to do that for that very reason.
Back to KIP: he breaks soybean yield records, and plants lots of them/acre. Does he know something? Well he harvests lots of them per acre, also. He does state that he has trouble keeping his Pioneer brand soys standing at that population. I don't think there are too many here who would find that surprising. Some of the talk was about his unique fields. And yes, no doubt they are. Over here around Blissfield, Michigan, it isn't unusual for the MI State soybean trials to go into the 90+ BPA range every couple of years, and they are dryland beans.
The question becomes how much more would the farmer at Blissfield have to do to be in yield record range? How much more would you have to do with your 60 BPA beans to be in 80 BPA range?
The point is there are so many things we can do to enhance what we are currently doing to improve our yields. The problem is when people supposedly "know" how to do these things they want plenty of money to coach you to outstanding yields. Why is it we never hear about those farmers achieving outstanding yields?
First: I think there are a lot of false prophets out there.
Second: I think there is a tremendous resistance to changing the way we do things.
Third: If spite of the resistance to change, we do it everyday. So why not change in the way someone who knows, tells us to? A Kip Cullers, knows how to do it. Maybe not on your farm, but a lot of his principles will either work, or improve what you are currently doing. Why not try some of them?
Long story for next post down. Only read it if you want a long story.
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Kip Cullers comments below
