There are a number of key inputs that are required for a crop to be successful and at the top of the list is nitrogen. While crops need nitrogen in order to thrive, there is a balance to be had and too much N is money waste and a potential risk to the environment.
In this episode of Farming Forward, Ian McCreary of McCreary Land & Livestock talks about his family’s transition from deciding on how much fertilizer to apply on a quarter to quarter basis, to moving towards mapping the land by zones within each field and for each crop.
McCreary notes that shifting to fertilizer application based on land mapping zones comes with costs, including the expense of mapping the land, adjusting application methods, and considering the capabilities of the equipment; however, he says that he has been able to cut the total amount of nitrogen used on the farm without sacrificing yield.
When it comes to soil health, McCreary says that people claiming that soil improves overnight are not right; however, soil does improve over a generation, and McCreary Land & Livestock has seen what can be done.
Farming Forward is a video series brought to you by Farmers for Climate Solutions’ Farm Resilience Mentorship Program and the Farm Learning Hub. Visit the hub to learn more about events in your area and to access more resources about building soil health.
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