I don't even own a computer

In the 80"s I figured computers looked like the wave a the future so I bought a commodore 128. I kept it for 15 years. I am lucky it lasted that long, but it was a workhorse. Lots of people are afraid of what they might mess up with high tech. The secret is backup. As you learn, back up a lot. The other secret is know how to get back to the start up of your software. Really You can't break anything that can't be fixed if you don't drop it in water or on concrete or something like that.

Precision Agriculture

I found an Interesting site on Precsion Agriculture. Check It out. http://www.precisionagriculture.com.au/index.php

More on High tech farming

See Kelly's Comments http://www.krfarm.net/?page_id=547 High tech farming is nothing to be afraid of we learn new things all the time and we are way past the early innovator stage.

Variable Rate Technology

All kinds of Variable rate technology so where should you start. Auto steer is the most common place that people get started with adding geographically related technology and that is fine. Planter and sprayer shutoff seem to have a good payoff, so maybe there. Soil sampling by soil type or management zone does not really require the producer to do anything. Just tell your provider and fertilizer dealer that is what you want and go at it. Management zones can be fine tuned when with yield data so I am a big advocate of getting your yield information to the guy who does your sampling. All this is going toward trying to get everything in the field evened out. When or while you are getting your fertility evened out, look at other management practices need for improvement such as erosion control and drainage. After your yields are as even as they can get and you have fixed other problems, then it might be time to implement variable rate seeding. That is the last step.

Saturday Trip

Went to Columbia IL. Not too much to report in the farming world.

Precision Planting

I attended a Precision Planting seminar on Wednesday. The program was presented a moble classroom. THe classroom was very impressive in and of itself. The precision planting people seem to have developed some excellent products bot equipment wise and monitor wise to plant corn at the exact spacing intended. I saw lots of farmers through the presentation looking like they have lots of work to get their planters ready.

What is new here

Working on revising the web site and making a presentation for Saale Farm and Grain's Customer Appreciation Day.

Reading

I am currently reading "What Would Google Do?" by Jeff Jarvis. It is short but full of information. There are lots of things to try.

Corn Soybean Special

The meeting was not too bad yesterday. Seemed most of the people there were Ag suppliers, but I guess around half were farmers. Dr Fernandez talked about sulfur. He checking for responsive soils rather than going by soil test although I talked to him afterward and he seemed open to using soil tests. He is looking for sulfur deeper than the surface.

Corn Nematodes are being preached. They are out there, but yield data seemed non-specific.

Darrell Goode explained the crop reporting model for yield. It is really pretty accurate. He also has a weather related model that is similar. That was pretty interesting.

Attendance was off a lot from last year. Last year is was over 300. This year 205. In the polling things they did, there were 160 to 170 respondents for most of the questions.

Dave

Cold

Looks like we may have a "real" winter here this year. At least the first week in January promises to be cold. Snow cover will protect what little wheat we have. Looking forward to winter meetings and developing some new strategies to expand the business.