Trautman Family Farm Fertility Management Case Study 2003-2007
2003 – First year of management.
Fertility:
- Prior year was soybeans, some nitrogen credit
- 1500lbs/acre of hi calcium lime
- 1500lbs/acre of gypsum
- 200lbs/acre of organic fertilizer w/micros
Crop:
- Seeded pasture; half direct seed, half with oats nurse crop
- Lots of weeds, mowed back down, made quite a bit of hay
- Not a lot of grazing, not enough animals; 4 finishers, 16 young stock, 100 chickens
Weeds:
- Dandelions
- Canadian Thistle
- Cocklebur (burdock)
2004 – First year with reasonable animal pressure
Fertility:
- 1000lbs/acre hi calcium lime
- 1000lbs/acre gypsum
- 200lbs/acre of organic fertilizer w/micros
- a dab of compost here and there
- some credit from grazing animals
Crop:
- Grazed a fair amount (pasture): 16 finishers, 33 young stock, 300 chickens
- Made quite a bit of hay
Weeds:
- Canadian Thistle
- Lambsquarter (high fertility weed)
2005 – Winter freeze out of pasture (about half of available)
Dry year, hot year; first year really seeing lots of earthworms
Fertility:
- 1000lbs/acre gypsum
- 200lbs/acre of organic fertilizer w/micros
- 1-2 tons/acre of leaf compost
- much grazing credit
Crop:
- 500 bales of hay, rest grazed
- 33 finishing stock, 44 young stock, 500 chickens
Weeds:
- Lambsquarter
- Canadian Thistle
2006: The Perfect Year: Sunny, 70 & an Inch of rain a week
Fantastic soil building year, fortunate with the stock we had (lots)
Crop:
- 100% grazed, 44 finished, 20 young stock, 750 chicken
- Estimated 6 tons/acre yield (3.5tons/acre county average, with fertilizer)
Fertility:
- 150 lbs/acre organic 0-2-5 fertilizer applied after first graze
- 150 lbs/acre organic 0-2-7 fertilizer applied after 2nd graze
- 150 lbs/acre organic 0-1-24 fertilizer applied late august
- 1000lbs/acre gypsum mid-summer
- 2-4 tons/acre enhanced leaf compost spread (added 50 tons chicken manure+12 tons gypsum
- Tremendous grazing pressure
Weeds:
- Lambsquarter (minimal)
- Canadian Thistle (minimal)
- I could count on all my fingers and toes the dandelions in the field
2007: Dry year, lots of animals; brought in 20-30 days of green chop to supplement
Crop:
- 100% grazed, 36 finished (big ones), 19 young steers, 17 heifers, 4 cows (1/2 season), 40 pigs, 750 chickens, 200 hens
- Estimated 4+ tons/acre yield. It was dry, it kept a’ comin, 7 acres of forage chain did very very well
Fertility:
- 200lbs/acre organic blend with micro’s
- 2-4 tons of leaf compost spread over 2-3 applications
- Lots of grazing pressure
Weeds:
- Not a whole lot, really. Thistles pretty well licked, no real weed problems
2008 Plan
Fertility:
- 100lbs/acre micro mix after 1st crop
- 2 tons/acre or so of leaf compost
- 750lbs/acre or so of Organical
- 150lbs/acre hay fertilizer blend mid-summer
- play it by ear; felt I under fertilized in 2007 for conditions
Crop:
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