RE: [compost_tea] Re: Compost and LCE field trial

From: Stephen Steyn <ssteyn_at_wcaccess.co.za>
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 07:57:15 +0200

My neighbour spreads 300kg per hectare of chicken litter and then at
planting he puts down about 150kg with the seed. The litter he puts down at
planting is pelleted to make it easier to use in his planter. Its wheat and
the rows are 300mm apart. No one here who uses litter bothers to compost
anymore. Its too time consuming and lots of N is volatised in the process.
You have to get the litter underground fairly quickly as the N is volatised
if you don't. The decision to compost or not depends on the crop residues
you have in or on your soil amongst others. Adding compost to residues means
you are actually making compost in situ.

We use a rotation of wheat on medics so need to add additional N to get
sufficient N in the crop for quality purposes. We also lime to get the soil
pH right or to get it balanced according to the Albrecht principles - it
depends on what philosophy you follow but who cares because you end up with
the same answers. We also need additional P so add rock phosphate or some
alternative P source. Some add it to the chicken litter.

Few people here about still use a foam marker. Most have gone to GPS
tracking for spraying and spreading. Few here use tramlining as the terrain
is too hilly and we have lots of contours which make tramlines difficult.

As mentioned, adding more litter or compost is uneconomical for a broadacre
crop- especially is your product is unsubsidised and having to compete with
US or EU crops that are heavily subsidised. So you see - you need to take
decisions based on your conditions and you circumstances. You need to know
what you are getting from the products that you put down because your
margins depend on it. If I was sitting on 1 acre and had an income that was
off farm then I too could do whatever I liked even if it was uneconomical.
Unfortunately that is not the case and I need to get my ducks in a row
before I take the shot.

SS

 

From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of mtmanx
Sent: 03 February 2011 06:43
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: Compost and LCE field trial

 

  

the problem always is the cost per acre especially with low money making
crops like hay. Once you charge a farmer 16 dollars per ton for the compost,
tack on 8 more for delivery in a semi from the dairy then charge him for
spreading the material since it requires a fan type spreader larger scale
but similar to lawn spreaders they are no longer interested in paying for it
cause they cannot make any money on the crop. The large New Leader computer
controlled spread trucks use foam markers at the end of the field so you
know where you have already spread. I always said it looked like a light
dusting because the farmers often were in disbelief that they were getting
what they paid for. Because of the light weight often dry dairy compost
(mostly around 40-50% moisture) you can never spread when the wind is
blowing either.
Ray
Idaho

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com> ,
"Tim Wilson" <thegoodjob_at_...> wrote:
>
> Oh. Now I get it. I'm slow.
>
> --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>
, "Tim Wilson" <thegoodjob_at_> wrote:
> >
> > Don't get it. Sorry.
> >
> > Tim
> >
> > --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
<mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com> , Jeff Lowenfels <jeff.lowenfels_at_>
wrote:
> > >
> > > <in my experience, spreading on our fields we did not want to waste
our time spreading less than 1/4 inch cover.>
> > >
> > >
> > > How can you even know where you have already applied at 1/32 of an
inch! Good eyes, Ray!
> > >
> > > teaming,
> > >
> > > jeff
> > >
> > >
> > > Jeff Lowenfels
> > > jeff.lowenfels_at_
> > >
> >
>



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Received on Thu Feb 03 2011 - 03:47:04 EST

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