JIm

Thanks for the heads-up on the article. Whether one strips, nts, or conventional tills (?) we should all be aware of these articles because we're going to get asked about them @ the next wedding reception or Legion meeting we attend.

Hopefully the NCGA will do a good job w/the checkoff $$ we give them & send out "data cards" to ALL farmers (not just NCGA members) showing actual energy used, not including sunshine. If you're going to cost out sunshine, they'd better figure in the 50,000,000 yrs worth of sunshine it took to generate underground oil.'

I realize the NCGA has sent some email communiques etc, but how about a little card for our wallet when that "challenge" comes about from someone that just got done reading the Natl Geo magazine?

Lastly Jim, we sure don't use that much fuel per bus or N per bus to grow our corn either...unless it's a total drought year, then the useage per production output can be really jacked up of course. Does one use a 1 yr, 5 yr, or 20 yr average? I'd say we're much more efficient now than 30 yrs ago however. I also realize this depends on "where" you are. For instance here, it's most common following combining corn to chisel plow 1x, then field cultivate 1x, then plant. End of story. If following soybeans, it's most common to do nothing in fall, then field cultivate 1x in spring, then plant. End of story. I'd guess that's the way 80-90% of locals do it in NE IL unless there's special circumstances. We split our N & sidedress 100% of corn acres. Seems to have worked for many yrs now OK.