Farmer Mimics Mother Nature

 

With the Fourth of July holiday, it is nice to meet family and friends and reflect on life and the blessings we have in this country.  It is also nice to hear and learn how some successful family farms that are thriving.  Here is a local story revised from Farm Journal and Ag Web.  

Les Seiler and his family farm in northwest Ohio in Fulton county near the Michigan border.  The Seiler’s plant cover crops on every acre of land that is planted  with the goal of keeping a living root in the ground year-round.  They do that by mimicking Mother Nature, using no-till and cover crops to build soil health. The Seiler’s include Les and Jerry and their two sons farming near Fayette, Ohio. 

Seiler’s started out strip tilling in the fall of 2010.  Unfortunately, the wind blew all winter and moved the black soil on some new land they had purchased off the mounds.  So that was the last strip tilling the family did.  They started no-tilling the next year and started using cover crops.  That required changing to low disturbance coulters so they could still inject fertilizer but they also did away with fertilizer placement.  Here are some benefits the Seiler’s found from using no-till and cover crops.   

   
First, they conserve and save biomass which increases their soil organic matter and holds their nutrients in place. This slow-release fertilizer feeds their corn, soybean and wheat crops. The cover crops keep the residue in place (does not blow away) and it improves biological activity, putting those nutrients in a plant available form.  With little to no wind or water erosion, their soils stay in place and remain productive.  That improves seedling growth and survival and the family does not have to be concerned about driver safety and low visibility during dust storms.  

Second, Seiler’s still use commercial fertilizer, just much less and their equipment and fuel bill is much lower.  Les Seiler estimates he has reduced nitrogen use by 20% to 30% and still meets their yield goal, raising 220-230 bushels corn on less than 190 pounds of N.  They adjust rates and use modern technology, in furrow  treatments, and foliar micronutrients to reduce crop stress and maximize crop yields.  

The transition to no-till, cover crops and healthy soils was not easy and it took time. Les says they had plenty of learning experiences, not wanting to call them failures.  Failure occurs when you stop learning and trying.  Most success comes from small mistakes that turn into opportunities for greater success.   Here are three practical steps the Seiler’s recommend taking:

First, start small, perhaps trying something on only 10 to 50  acres. Learn from your mistakes and that builds up your confidence.  Find out your limitations on a small scale so that when you do it on a larger scale, you have fewer problems and you know what to expect.  Every year has different problems, so be flexible and adjust to those new challenges.  

Second, find some like minded people to help you with regenerative farming practices.  Find out what works and who is successful at this type of farming.  Maybe just as important, find out what practices typically fail so you can avoid making the same mistakes. After a while, you have enough confidence that you do not worry what other people think.  That is generally a sign of a true leader, someone out front taking risks others are afraid to take.   

Third, share what you learn by teaching others.  The Seiler’s host field days, attend many educational events and conferences, and they share their knowledge.  Talking to other farmers and people in the regenerative ag business grows your confidence and helps avoid many mistakes.  The Seiler’s also shared their soil health knowledge through videos and webinars.

One thing they have noticed is that their crops seem to thrive during the summer heat.  With all that residue on the soil, they conserve moisture.  The soil temperature is much cooler.  They also notice that come July, their crops look healthier. Farms around them have crops that have wilted leaves and a paler color.  Healthy crops stay dark green and have much less moisture stress.  Crops under stress also have more insect and disease pressure.  Good soil health and good crop nutrient greatly reduce these problems.  

The Seiler’s are convinced they are saving and improving their soil.  They spend less money on fertilizer inputs, fuel, and equipment, while maintaining yields, so they are more profitable.  They use good conservation practices, so the water is cleaner and they even see the wild life benefits.  That is something they can be proud about.