| ONE FARM TO ANOTHER Capital purchases:
An opportunity to think By Jeff Moyer, The Rodale Institute® Farm Manager |
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November 21, 2003: November is here and the weather in Eastern Pennsylvania couldn’t be better. We had substantial rain late in October, (which this year is par for the course), but the temperatures are very mild and the skies are clear. Perfect for getting in the late cuttings of hay, the soybeans and the corn. We’ve got all the apples picked and in the cooler, the soybeans are mostly harvested, sold and already delivered, my favorite football teams are winning about half the time, and the kids seem to be doing well in school – life is good! Our institute manages its fiscal year to coincide with the calendar year, making this BUDGET TIME. Yes … that time of the year when financial planning takes place. I must be getting old since it seems like I just did this the other week, but no – it was last year and it’s time once again. The real challenge for me is that part of the budget which I allocate to capital items. The electric and fuel bills will be what they are. Property taxes and other known expenses will be easy to calculate based on historical information. But the capital side of the budget needs some very creative thinking and a fair bit of research. Like most of you, there are a zillion things “I need,” but very limited resources. This year I’m looking at converting a no-till planter that was set up for research plots from two rows to four rows. I should look into a new, or at least “new to me”, orchard sprayer, and a plot combine for research needs. I’d really like a mid-sized tractor in the 130 horse power range, but …. This sort of activity really is an opportunity for change. And spending large sums of money on equipment or buildings should encourage you to review your entire operation with a critical eye towards the future. No sense investing “new” dollars into “old” systems if it’s time to make other changes. Where do you see your farm 5 years or 10 years from now? With the cost of new equipment, you and I will be living with our decisions for a long time … or paying the price for poorly suited tools or the cost of re-equipping the farm. One of the areas of re-tooling I’m looking into is cultivation equipment. The 4-row cultivator I’ve been using for the past 15 years or so doesn’t quite seem to have the degree of adjustment or flexibility I think I should have to get the job done right. We’ve had such odd weather the past few years. It’s either too wet or too dry whenever I need to cultivate. So I need to do some research into what’s new in the exciting world of cultivation equipment. I know there are lots of options out there and finding the right tools for the job won’t be easy. If any of you has any suggestions I’d love to hear them. Maybe you know of a piece of equipment that has performed well or one that I should avoid. Email or write and let me know. Nutrient levels: organic vs. conventional crops Many of you have written to comment on my last article, where I talked briefly about the new direction for The Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial® (FST)—tracking nutrient differences in food produced organically versus conventionally—and the need to address food quality issues. I’m glad to hear that many of you support our efforts. Although some of you questioned my sanity, most of the comments where very positive. We are well aware of the difficult tasks ahead as we buck the system once again, but it’s important work and the end goal of healthier soil and healthier people makes it all worth while. And the site we have selected for studying nutrient differences, the FST here on our farm in Eastern Pennsylvania, is one of the few places in the world where the highly documented diverse farming systems plots with intense historical data necessary to conduct these studies exists. I look forward to sharing the information coming out of this work with you as the results slowly come in. Nurse crops for cover crops Well, as I started this article by saying it’s November, and outdoor activities are starting to wind down. As I look out across the farm, the only crop I see left to harvest is the corn. The gardens are starting to look bare as the last of the root crops are harvested, and the still green cover crops are filling in the beds. While only the hardiest leaves are still clinging to the trees, this farm looks green from end to end. The wheat I planted last month is up and looks great, as does the barley—the promise of a good harvest next summer. My vetch and oat cover crops look like they’ll make it into the winter with sufficient growth to survive the cold. This year I planted spring oats with most of my hairy vetch as a nurse crop. I’ve noticed in the past that by planting a grass with a legume I can get the same amount of nitrogen contribution, for next years crop, with a lower seeding rate of the legume and still put the same amount of biomass back into the system. This saves me money since the legume seed is an expensive part of my cropping system. The rye I immediately sowed after soybean harvest is beginning to emerge. And the hay fields are greening up after last cutting. I’m writing this on Election Day, and by the time you read this the polls will long be closed, the campaign signs torn down (hopefully), and all those annoying radio spots just a distant memory. I hope all your candidates won and pray they all have the strength and wisdom to move our governing bodies in a positive direction. Until next month, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and have much to be thankful for. From One Farm To Another . . .
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