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Re: Soil Tests Discussion



    I found Mr. Wall's following comment rather interesting.

>If you tell a grower they can get the same control with half the rate of
>pesticide X they will try it.  If you tell the same grower to use 50 lbs/A
>less fertilizer they will come up with bizarre reason they can't do that.

>Thomas E. Wall
>Horticulturist
>Ohio State University, Piketon Research and Extension Center

    The "bizarre reason"(s) are most likely that the grower really likes
to have food with his meals and have clothes for his kids.

    What I find interesting is that while very few growers would presume
to tell others how to eat, there seem to be a disproportionate number of
eaters who want to tell growers how to grow.  These eaters with all the
answers have nothing at risk, of course, as they take home a regular
paycheck that does not depend at all on bugs, weeds, disease, nutrients,
yield, weather, markets, environmentalists (the radical ones), or
mortgage foreclosure notices.

                                     Chandler


P.S.  In case you couldn't tell, I am a grower.  My father started our
      farm in southwest Utah 50 years ago from scratch -- sagebrush.
      And, yes, we do soil tests and tissue tests every year to determine
      the best fertilizer strategy.  And, Mr. Wall, fertilizer is not
      cheap!  I would avoid it completely if I could.



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