Maize fields already prepared for sowing

Dairy farmers started preparing the plots for silage maize this first week of April. In the Boerenbusiness Roughage Tour 2020, 2 participants started working with the power harrow. The winter field beans came out of the winter nicely for a third participant.

There was a reason for preparing the corn land now. The two farmers expect that there will be little or no precipitation for the time being. The clay soil will then become too hard to make a good seedbed for the maize. By already crushing the plowed soil with the power harrow, it retains its moisture better. Then sowing will be easier in about 3 weeks with a nicer seedbed. 

The livestock farmers could now maintain a speed of 6 km/h with the power harrow. Just before sowing, they go over it again with the rotary harrow so that the soil is nice and fine for sowing. 

winter field beans
The participating livestock farmer in Nieuwerkerk (Zeeland) has a number of other crops in addition to maize and grass, including Tundra winter field beans. He reports that he sowed these last fall at a depth of 10 centimeters and that they were sprayed against weeds 3 weeks ago. The result is a beautiful healthy crop. 

Acidic soil
The participant from Doetinchem (Gelderland) has been busy this week spreading lime on 2 plots where the pH value of the soil is too low. This is now 5,2 and the rest of his plots fluctuate around a value of 6. By means of several additions of 1,5 to 2 tons of lime, he wants to bring the 2 plots towards a pH of 6 in the coming years.

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