Hayinhere - 11/18/2011 00:23

I don't speak for the smart guys but I see many red flags in your post.
Low OM,
Chopping corn silage,
Chopping cereals in the spring,
Ripping
Disking twice and roller harowing.. and still cloddy
Turbo till
Manure from a tank
One tiny rooted crop after another

OM levels are measured from soil carbon levels.   Your high whole crop removal rates has probabbly been sustained with steroid rates of nitrogen (including slurry) and most of the carbon is hauled off in the forage wagon.   You need a high carbon layer on or in the soil CONTINOUSLY to build OM. Your manure comes in a tank which to me indicates slurry which is more akin to salt water than compost.  All the liquid parts of the manure are full of electrolites with little Carbon to build soil with - yes there is N and K but that does not mean higher soil carbon.  You need to balance your C:N ratios in your soil and there are two ways to do that - raise carbon or lower nitrogen.  Control your vehicle traffic.  You think you treat your soil like gold?  I say b.s. IF you have driven heavy loads without adequate flotation when the ground is wet.  You don't HAVE to fill every wagon to the top.  You can run on tracks if necissary.  You can refuse to apply when the ground is not dry.  You can absolutely prohibit truck tires inflated to 100psi from entering in the field.   You can plant less annual grasses and more taprooted crops in your rotation.  ripping then disking twice and harrowing cloddy ground...really? 

I'm not saying you must do these things, but accept that what you are doing and what you think you are doing are completely different.