March 2015 – Champlain Valley Crop, Soil & Pasture

Spring 2015, Soil Health Field Day

Soil Health Field Day Flyer_Hoorman 2015The snow is melting, the sap is flowing (hopefully), and the crew at CV Crops is dreaming of spring!

Join us for our Spring 2015 Soil Health Field Day

April 21st, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.

We will be hosting Jim Hoorman, from Ohio State University Extension (PhD candidate and farmer), to discuss:

The Biology of Soil Compaction
Using Cover Crops to Keep Phosphorus Out of Surface Water
Economics of Cover Crops & Weed Suppression

(click on the picture above to view the pdf)

We will meet at the American Legion, have a hot lunch, and then head out to the field to visit Vander Wey’s Nea-Tocht Farm. If you are a farmer, you can attend this field day FOR FREE, due to the generous contributions of Caring Dairy and the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition.

Service professions are welcome to attend, there will be a $30 fee. Five CCA credits available from this event.

Either way, we request that you register.

You may do so by either calling us at (802) 388-4969, or by registering online: https://www.regonline.com/soilhealth

Recent Planter Clinic

Jeff Sanders Speaking About No-Till Corn Planter Maintenance.

Last week we held a corn planter clinic, with a focus on no-till equipment maintenance. Rico Balzano organized the event and Jeff Sanders (NW Soils and Crops Team) spoke to a crowd that included about 30 (+) farmers, and other agriculture professionals. It was a very successful event, with constructive discussion. The clinic benefited both those considering no-till and those doing regular maintenance or upgrades on their equipment.

Jeff Sanders highlighted many different parts of the no-till corn planter that should be looked at and maintained for optimum performance. He highlighted the importance in no-till for successful opening and closing of the seed slot, and that maintenance should be focused on those pieces. He discussed different options to achieve that objective, and what people have had the most success with in VT. Jeff also talked about the importance of a level planter, of proper depth, and of seed placement in the seed slot. Proper maintenance of the planter will prevent doubles and skips, and ensure the slot is V-shaped and not W-shaped. He recommends getting off the tractor and looking at what the planter is doing and ensuring that it is planting properly. Jeff also emphasized that weather conditions and soil moisture will affect how successful no-till planting is, and particularly that fields that are saturated may not seed well.

Missed the Clinic? Do not despair.

Check out the checklist fact-sheet which can be downloaded:

Fact Sheet_No-Till Planter Checklist_2015.

We will hopefully be holding more events in the future! In the mean time, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Rico Balzano can be reached at (802) 388-4969 ext 338

or rico.balzano@uvm.edu

New Across the Fence Video

The 2015 No-Till and Cover Crop Symposium was featured recently on Across the Fence!

The t.v. segment also features Kirsten Workman and Jeff Sanders discussing research, trials, and use of both cover crops and no-till in Vermont.

Check out the video HERE!

Interested in trying a new practice on your farm this coming year? We are happy to help you determine the best fit for your farm!

Reading ‘Cow Signals’: Upcoming Workshop

Join us for a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the ‘Cow Signals’ program! Dr. Hubert Karreman will be on hand in both a classroom and a barn session.

When: Tuesday March 24, 2015

Where: Bridport,VT and Shoreham, VT

Cows send out signals continuously about their health, well-being, nutrition, and production. The challenge is how to interpret these signals and use them to maximize cow health and well-being. The ‘Cow Signals’ program teaches farmers how to interpret the behavior and physical characteristics of groups of cows and individuals.