Snow country farming?

[WVBill]

Saw something today on the field down the road I've not seen before.

Farmer was snow-plowing his field, making snowpile windrows. He was followed shortly by a bio-liquid fertilizer spreader up and down the rows.

We got 36" of snow two weekends ago, and another 12" a week later. It's still 18-20" deep.

I guess the farmer needs to get his field prepped for planting soon.

Tried to take a picture with my cell phone camera but it didn't come out....

 

[rockinmywaypa]

I've heard of farmers windrowing snow out on the prairies in order to catch ground drifting snow to increase the melt and subsequent moisture for the following spring and summer, no idea what the spreader would be for though.

 

[MossRoad]

Maybe he was just plowing the way for the manure spreader because the snow was too deep for it?

 

[bp fick]

Don't know if he was plowing in the snow, or just making rows, but snow if a wonderful source of nitrogen, as well as moisture. I have heard of plowing in snow to try to take advantage. My grandfather used to say this. He also said the nitrogen depletes with time in snow. He was a simple immigrant farmer, so I don't think he had any science behind his thoughts.

 

[WVBill]

Maybe he was just plowing the way for the manure spreader because the snow was too deep for it?

Maybe - that manure spreader has huge balloon flotation tires on it so as not to compress the soil. Don't know how it would fare in the snow. I'll see if he does the next field over tomorrow and try again for pictures.

 

[charlz]

I have heard in some places it is illegal to spread manure on top of the snow. Don't know anymore than that.

 

[dave1949]

Don't know if he was plowing in the snow, or just making rows, but snow if a wonderful source of nitrogen, as well as moisture. I have heard of plowing in snow to try to take advantage. My grandfather used to say this. He also said the nitrogen depletes with time in snow. He was a simple immigrant farmer, so I don't think he had any science behind his thoughts.

A farmer I worked for as a teenager claimed a late winter snow is like 'free' fertilizer. Your Grandfather may not have had science, and probably wasn't right all the time. But in the days before heavy chemical fertilizers, I think it's very possible farmers were more attuned to natural causes whose effects are more subtle than hitting young corn with anhydrous ammonia - for example. Chemical fertilizers as they are used today, tend to obliterate and mask many natural effects. I think those old fellers knew some things even if it was just intuition.
Dave.

 

[jimmyj]

I think those old fellers knew some things even if it was just intuition.
Dave.

Amen to that Dave. I hate the fact that so much of that knowledge is being lost.

Was the feild level? Otherwise when the snow melts the fertilizer will run off no?

 

[bp fick]

Apparently, Ag research does back up the old timers' suspicions.

A good snow will indeed add 2-4 pounds of N per acre.

 

[Gizmo2]

A farmer I worked for as a teenager claimed a late winter snow is like 'free' fertilizer. Your Grandfather may not have had science, and probably wasn't right all the time. But in the days before heavy chemical fertilizers, I think it's very possible farmers were more attuned to natural causes whose effects are more subtle than hitting young corn with anhydrous ammonia - for example. Chemical fertilizers as they are used today, tend to obliterate and mask many natural effects. I think those old fellers knew some things even if it was just intuition.
Dave.

We were always told, "late winter snow is a poor mans fertilizer"

 

[Duffster]

Amen to that Dave. I hate the fact that so much of that knowledge is being lost.

Was the feild level? Otherwise when the snow melts the fertilizer will run off no?

If this "bio-liquid fertilizer" is indeed just manure some of it may run off but probably very little. The dark color on the ground will melt the snow sooner than normal which will help retain it on the soil.

Apparently, Ag research does back up the old timers' suspicions.

A good snow will indeed add 2-4 pounds of N per acre.

We have always know this. The best oat crop is one that gets snowed on after it is up an inch or two. A few pounds of N is much more noticeable to us on a crop like this because we do not fertilize it otherwise.

I think that is why it was much more noticeable to the old timers. The ground was in much more need of fertilizer so a few pounds was much more noticeable to them.

I have also heard that corn will take up N out of the air in a thunderstorm.

 

[bp fick]

I have also heard that corn will take up N out of the air in a thunderstorm.

First, let me say that old timers' trained me, and now, I am pretty sure I am an old timer myself.

Yes, we always believed Corn "jumped" and turned darker green during thunder and lightning, as will a healthy lawn. I'm stickin' with the old lore.

 

[Duffster]

First, let me say that old timers' trained me, and now, I am pretty sure I am an old timer myself.

Yes, we always believed Corn "jumped" and turned darker green during thunder and lightning, as will a healthy lawn. I'm stickin' with the old lore.

Nothing wrong with that.



If the farmer was working that hard at spreading manure it was probably being done out of necessity, not by choice.

While spreading on snow is frowned upon, and not ideal, it is not illegal around here anyway. We have spread every single day for as long as there have been cows on this farm, snow or no snow.

 

[WVBill]

It must be real important he gets that fertilizer down NOW. He (or his crew) was out there all night on the fields around here - did a field 50' outside my kitchen window at 3:30 this morning. I don't mind at all - it's all about living in the country - I just a transplanted city boy and not quite understanding the urgency of spreading liquid manure.

Here's pictures of the field next to me. Looks like half of the field, he plowed the snow down to bare ground in rows and the other half he just spread on top of the snow. Big 4WD Ag Tractor pulling the bio-liquid tank/spreader. Saw him get stuck and have to back out and get a running start a couple of times. Couldn't get to the camera fast enough to get a pic of the tractor.

 

[blunosr]

That's an interesting observation about snow providing Nitrogen for fertility. I wonder how that works? I know lightning fixes some atmospheric nitrogen, but I thought it was insignificant in agricultural soils because of the net losses from leaching and denitrification. It seems to me there is some benefit from precipitation (snow), but only significant in forests and non-cropping soils.

The other point I seem to recall is the loss of nitrogen fertility from spreading manure too early. Manure will lose most of its Nitrogen fertility in about 6 weeks after spreading due to evaporation of the ammonia and nitrate content, so spreading more than 6 weeks before planting is not recommended. I could be wrong about that, but I seem to recall those discussions in my days as an Aggie (I did a degree in Agricultural Soil chemistry).

I'll have to read up on that snow thing. You've piqued my interest!

Bye for now,

 

[Duffster]

It must be real important he gets that fertilizer down NOW. He (or his crew) was out there all night on the fields around here - did a field 50' outside my kitchen window at 3:30 this morning. I don't mind at all - it's all about living in the country - I just a transplanted city boy and not quite understanding the urgency of spreading liquid manure.

Here's pictures of the field next to me. Looks like half of the field, he plowed the snow down to bare ground in rows and the other half he just spread on top of the snow. Big 4WD Ag Tractor pulling the bio-liquid tank/spreader. Saw him get stuck and have to back out and get a running start a couple of times. Couldn't get to the camera fast enough to get a pic of the tractor.

The pit is probably full or near full or it will be before it is dry enough to go again.

 

[schmism]

The pit is probably full or near full or it will be before it is dry enough to go again.

+1

come helll or high water if the tank is nearing full you got to get rid of it!

 

[DanD78]

Next time you see them out stop and visit then ask them why they are doing the wind rows. Scraping the snow back will let the exposed ground freeze deeper. Maybe getting ready for tile work.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Some near me were spreading some today. I noticed by smell before I saw it
I figured their tank was getting full, as they haven't been able to spread in ages.

Notice when the snow melts how green the grass will be underneath.

 

[WVBill]

Notice when the snow melts how green the grass will be underneath.

Yep, the parts where they scraped the ground bare and then spread the manure were visibly greening up already yesterday.