Ron - I won't save any seed - you are right - for what a bag costs ($40) - its not at all worth a potential problem. FYI - all the soybeans I planted were from one bag - Next year I do plan to double up the planting rate though by using your suggestion of 15" rows.

I closed my old picture host account - so some of the pictures on this post will probably disappear. When they do - I'll work on restoring the pictures.

Here's a few new pictures form 7/29 to test the new Picture hosting site - The RR corn continues to do very well - It should tassle in 7-10 days.







If anyone has trouble opening the above 3 pictures let me know.

Thanks
FH

Just a quick update - for 8-6-04

The first 2 pictures are of the Manual Cultivated plot - The sweet corn failed - and the field corn continues to struggle against the weeds. With 6 weeks growth left we should get some ears - but how many is up in the air:





The RR plot continues to do real well. The corn is 6-8 ft tall in most areas of the field and just starting to tassel & put out ears - though its hard to tell from the pictures. The deer are heavy feeding on the soybeans - but with all this cool, wet weather - they are really holding their own.









Its been quite cold here, and wet - last night was mid 40s - today's high was 63 degrees. A couple hot days or weeks would really help both corn plots along - though I wonder if we'll see it.

I'll post again in a couple weeks and summarize my project.

Thanks for looking.

Farmhunter, just want you to know that I think you are one of the biggest assets of this site. Over 600 hits. Your pictures are outstanding and advice is always good. I look forward to anything you put on here. Our rocky landscape and weather is very similar and what works for you will work for me. THANKS, terry

Thanks Terry, I appreciate your advice as well, and hope this corn post helps others to learn about the process.

When I first started trying to plant corn, I had a tough time getting information that wasn't geared toward a Farm Operation. It seems that RR corn and Glyphosate have helped the small time corn planter like those of us that post here.

There's quite a difference between the manual cultivation and the Roundup ready plots. How many Roundup applications did you put on since planting?

Dan O.

Sean , oour corn is made in Delaware, beans could stand some warm nights, it's cool here too. Our RR beans are sold for $28.80, then cash discount brings them to 26 and change., your saying 40 dollars. too much. I think you crops look pretty good, I read where you liked my idea of planting the middles on the beans, My gang used to do that on over a thousand acres until they got the 15 in planter, and I can see where it would help you with weed control and offer more beans, When the deer are finished with the beans they will continue to feed the birds , rabbits and other small game, but I would still husk out some of that corn and store for bad weather use ( not in the camp of course) foir deer and turkeys. Keep doing good things for wildlife and keep us posted...

Dan -

For the corn - I did just one spraying - at 4 weeks after planting on 6/19 - that was it for the corn.

I used Roundup Ultra Max - it was not cheap! - but I only had to use 20oz/acre. My Co-op did not have any Generic - and I wasn't sure I wanted to experiment with a generic Glyphosate the first time anyhow.

As soon as the weeds died off, and the Urea was spread around the 4th of July - the growth was excellent. In fact it grew so fast that by 7/18 - I could not drive the tractor + sprayer wothout knocking over the corn. I probably should have sprayed again when I broadcast the urea on the 4th - but there seemed to be almost no new germination. I went back and spot sprayed a couple spots the sprayer missed - but I don't think it had much effect on the corn at that point (7/18). So if you look - you'll see some ragweed in the full grown RR corn - but not much to worry about.

For the Beans I sprayed Twice - Once 6-19 and again on 7/18. I don't think I'll spray again, even if some weeds come in - Right now the beans look very good - except they are being browsed ALOT by the deer - Just like I hoped.

For the Cultivated plot - I used no chemical weed control - only a 3pt hitch manual cultivator - and I cultivated twice 6/18 and around the 4th of July.

Ron - I paid $80 for the two bags I bought - I only ended up planting one bag (i hope the other will be good next year still). Sounds like they made a little off me, but overall I cannot complain about the costs. Maybe next year you can point me in the right diercetion though for corn & beans?

Thanks again everyone.

FH

farm hunter; it's looks like you're doing great and it's really nice that you keep good records. It helps a lot to make things go better, easier and cheaper each year. Things are the same when you're trying to grow trees but on a much longer term scale. You study, ask local experts etc. and then plant. As the years go by you see what works in your area and keep replanting with what works and some new things to keep things interesting. In the end the kids get a nice piece of productive property.

It's strange but the trials can be put down to a couple of rules:

1) the local experts are probvably right 90% of the time. You can gain 30 years of experience in a couple of years.

2) what works for the local experts may not work on your property because of soil, climate, etc.

3) expect that 90% of all new trials will fail. But; when you look on it in the bright side you're pioneering. An example is chestnuts. They need acidic, sandy soil to grow. My planting 100's of seedlings I've got 4 that are growing well (15 years) on near neutral clay loam and they've stood up to chestnut blight as well. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Dan O.

Sean I just got in from planting some old cclover seed I had along with my turnips and some rape, I alwys plant clover with turnips i.e. companion planting , it helps the turnips push through if the soil cakes up. It is a spot on my next door neighbor where he and I have a few rows of pole limas , I have seen several deer behind my house recently, so I can hunt in my back yard maybe. Sean I wanted ask you and keep forgetting , how far do you live from your camp. ? Also we use Roundup ultra mx at about $40. per gal. a little cheaper than market price, but then we use it on 6,000 acres. You know that Glysophate will not do anything to mares tail, I assume you have it up there. it is ubiquitous ,tall slender with small leaves, the only thing sticking up in many fields....

Hi Ron - I sent you a PM -

Is Mares Tail really immune to glyphosate? Or is it just tough to kill? If I let the ragweed get too tall, it seems that the roundup cannot touch it - at least not with a normal dosage.

If we have it here - it has not been a problem at all, I'll keep my eye open for it, and let you know.

Thanks