So yesterday was the last one of the Research Field Days at the NCRS. As before, there was a large group of growers from all over. From Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, North Dakota, Michigan and probably lots of other places as well. This was the 7th RFD, and in the end, there were 660 visitors this summer. Whew! I lost count long ago after I ran out of fingers and toes. The morning and afternoon activities seemed to be very informative, if our surveys are correct. Below, the group listens to Doug talk about planter fertilizer placement. I see Stephanie there on the left offerning more advice.
New Tim again talks about the correct way to fertilize sugarbeets and Navy Beans.
Remember last time I showed Brian and Old Tim digging potatoes from the demonstration plots. Now he is splaining what happened. (Right Ricky?)
Everyone is happy when the lunch bell rings. You get hungry seeing and listening about fertilizer stuff all morning.
Today's lunch sponsor is someone called AG PHD. Hmmmm. Could it be?
Well it is! We have Darren Hefty to talk to us at lunch about his experiences with Liquid fertilizer on his farm, and the infamous Blank Slate. Not for the faint of heart.
We had something of a reunion with Darren, Farm Guy and me. Oh the stories we told. Hope you all saw the epic film.
After lunch it was time to enter the world of replicated plot research at the NCRS. Like below at a soybean foliar fertilizer test. If you adjust the light, squint just right and look at the plot to the left of the Gator there, maybe you can see that the strip of beans there has dropped more leaves than the plots (with the little signs) to the left. Well that plot had no foliar fertilizer, and the others did. So the foliars enabled the plants to keep the leaves on longer to support pod growth. Even though that is compelling evidence in support of foliar fertilizers, we will probably go ahead and harvest them just to make sure.
Well after all of that, it was time for a break. Well for me anyway. I went as far West as I could without getting wet. Nice place.
Many thanks to the superior staff at the NCRS for organization and execution of the RFD's. Although all were instrumental, I will give a big thanks to Stephanie for her organization and follow-up duties. So thanks to all for attending, and hopefully we will do even more next year.
