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Malheur County Oregon | Our bottom ground that has been farmed for 75-100 years had developed a layer of black heavy crud at the 12-14" depth and by deep ripping and plowing at twice the depth of normal plow depth we have been able to pull up some fresh sandier soil that has mellowed the ground out alot. We only do this once every 10 years or so. But every acre on the farm gets plowed conventionaly every year and the Beet, spud and onion ground gets ripped also. On the fields that are really bad we have even brought in plows pulled with cats that will go up to 4 ft deep to get into fresh ground.
On an onion crop that will follow a wheat crop the stubble is shredded and disked twice,refurrowed out and watered back to sprout the volunter wheat Disked again then ripped then plowed then a roller harrow twice and ridged up till spring
The soil in this part of world has almost no organic matter to it and getting water to soak in is a major issue. For example in the summer time if we get a thunder boomer with more than a 1/2 in of rain in an hours time we have water running every where from the flash flood.
We still have to do conventional tillage just to get things to break down so we can plant small seeded row crops in a clean seed bed. Between mild to no winters with a anuall rainfall of less than 12 inches it's a different ball game out west.
Trust me if we could we would reduce our trips across the fields. | |
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Wilcox Ripper @ Tulare Farm Show
