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GRAIN
Crops
Our grain operation consists of dry land corn and soybeans. The grain we grow is sold direct to an end user, processing facility, or to a local grain elevator that then ships the corn or soybeans to the end user. Our customers include ethanol plants, beef feedlots and soybean crushing facilities that produce soy meal and oil.
Technology
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Farming has changed drastically since our family farm began with horses and a plow. Today we utilize GPS technology in virtually every field operation. It starts with gps grids for soil sampling. We then take that data and produce a fertility plan to help us maximize yield while reducing costs. We write fertilizer prescriptions for each farm, allowing us to feed the soil where it needs it the most. This helps reduce over application in good soils and builds the nutrients in the poorer soils. This is done through variable rate application on gps guided machines.
Our machines are equipped with auto steer and mapping technology. This helps us reduce driver fatigue and helps eliminate waste from overlap, resulting in more efficient use of our seed, chemical and fertilizer. Mapping allows us as operators to analyze each seed variety, fertility rate or population change by viewing yield maps post harvest. We also use these maps to plan drainage and conservation work, as it shows us problem areas in the field. We can compare maps year after year to bench mark our performance and progress for each field operation.
Conservation
Soil and water conservation has always been a high priority in our operation. It took a front and center role when Wayne Stock made the choice to become a 100% no-till farm. At that time, he traded large discs, field cultivators and 4wd tractors for no-till planting equipment. To this day, many of our farms have seen a limited amount or no tillage since making the switch. We place a high priority in building soil organic matter, earthworm populations and microbial activity in the soil. We utilize buffer strips to provide shelter for wildlife and allow rain water to filter chemical/fertilizer/silt from the runoff before it reaches open water.
Our alfalfa acres also play a role in our conservation efforts. The roots of alfalfa help build organic matter and help break compaction as the roots of alfalfa plants can reach depths of 15 or more feet deep. Once alfalfa is rotated out, the hollow roots act as a funnel to take subsoil moisture down, act as a pathway for the next crops roots to reach more nutrients, provides a mellow seed bed for the next crop and produces nitrogen, reducing the need for commercial fertilizers.