Ed Winkle, soil, enjoyed seeing his friends at the Goodwin Farms Pioneer Field Day last night. I was shocked to find one of my dear friends is 80 years young now. You don't associate age with that man, he is so young in his thinking and work. We have traded no-till and soil fertility ideas for 25 years now. He did what I should have done with his wheat this year and that is use a stripper head to cut his wheat for his double crop soybeans.
He has some of the rarest soils in Ohio, Crider Silt Loam like you find in Kentucky. Neither glacier quite got to that high spot, it has a really deep sand lens in it that is perfect for drainage yet there is enough silt on top of it to really hold the water. It is very productive soil. He was able to buy the old farm I wanted to own years ago right on I-71. That farm couldn't have a better owner. There is only 333 acres of it where he lives and he has a piece of it. One neighbor has grown vegetables for years.
I was also surprised to see one of my former student's son is technology leader now for Pioneer. I showed him the Goss's Wilt all over the plot which shocked him so I hope he takes my challenge up to have it tested. The plot was full of pink leaves under big ears. Everyone just looks at the big ears but I would like to make the plant a little healthier. Could we get another 20 bushels out of it? I think so and more, Keith has proved that tome.
Next week is his field day, a week from tomorrow to be exact. I hope I can go witness it first hand. They have a terrific lineup of speakers and three of them have been to our farm this year. Dr. Cooper will be sharing his knowledge of breeding semi dwarf soybeans he came up with early in his career to try and raise soybean yields. The podding of his Apex beans has been also terrific for me this year.
It is hot here like it usually is in July. With no rain, the crops are maturing very quickly. For most of us, this is a good thing but you don't have to go far to see some disasters. A half mile south of me is poorly drained soil that was never fit to plant into this year. I am right on the glacial moraine and I have a crop right next door to fields that struggled all year.
Such is farming! I really hope you all have a good day!
Ed Winkle
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