So this past week there were two more Research Field Days at the NCRS. So from all of the field crop and fruit and vegetable tours so far, there have been some 500 visitors to that little ol' place we call home. And there is still a chance to visit us on the last tour on September 10. I thought I would start with this picture taken a couple of days ago showing the sunflowers on Farm 2 that are in full bloom.
The film crew from Creative Services were on site for the Tuesday field day and got a lens full of activity from that tour. I wasn't able to take any pictures during the tour that day, but afterwards they recorded Brian talking nice about the apple orchard. It will be part of the upcoming action-packed film: 2013 Year in Research. Unfortunately the title The Avengers was already taken.
We actually got some much-needed rain this week. It rained a little early Tuesday morning and a little more on Wednesday morning to the tune of 1.1 inches. That was nice, but not too far away were reports of up to four inches. I guess that defines scattered showers. But 4 inches of rain would have made the Thursday Field Day more than a little muddy as it was already. Below Stephanie talks about different sulfur fertilizer sources for field corn at one of the research tour stops.
Across the way, we see Tim talking about fertilizer applications in strip tillage with the new Orthman 1tRIPr in the background there. The new trailers continue to impress with comfort and sound speakers.
Here are the corn ears that I showed at a stop about different corn fertilizer programs in a long-term sustainability experiment. They were three successive ears collected from the border rows of plots. The first set is of a low-rate (equal pounds of nutrients as AgroLiquid) conventional fertilizer application consisting of potash, 10-34-0 and 28%. Next would be the full rate conventional, then the all dry conventional, then N only (no P or K), and then it's the AgroLiquid treatment. On the next board is the Pro-Germinator (no Sure-K) treatment and finally is the Sure-K (but no Pro-Germinator) treatment. Even though this soil has medium P and low K, the only Pro-Germinator looks better than the only Sure-K, illustrating the importance of early phosphorus to corn. It has yielded this way in the past too. However there is a little K in Pro-Germinator which helps. But I thought that was interesting, but yields will be the final proof.
Back on the demonstration tour we see Cory in orange who talked about soybean growth and fertilizer placement. He and the others are watching Derek from M&W Ag Services talking about the Ag Xcel dual fertilizer placement tool and the value for seed sensitive crops like soybeans.
And here we have Galynn in red (again) and intern Mike (in beautiful orange) talking about N fertilizer placement options in the demonstration corn plots. The Hagie applicator with the nitrogen applicator bars again proves popular.
So that was the way it was here at the NCRS. Glad it's Friday and a Labor Day holiday weekend at that. And most important: It's time for College Football! Go Cowboys! Go Spartans! And Go whoever you are cheering for...unless it's Sooners.
