Agronomy, Precision Agriculture, Projects

Winter Cover Crop Field Walks

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The first of two winter cover crop field walks was held on 16 August, courtesy of Brownrigg Agriculture.

The walk was attended by 29 people who saw and handled soils that had spent winter under different cover crops; Moata ryegrass, mustard and oats.  These were compared with the usual winter fallow treatment.

Soil improvements are very obvious in terms of structure and organic matter after only 4 months of cover cropping.  Earthworm populations are up and soil nitrogen is being held in the plants relative to loss through the profile in the fallow treatment.

The focus is now on measuring and recording soil condition by visual soil assessments (VSA) to monitor change.

How can Brownrigg’s ensure that soil improvements are maintained through the production phase?

We are holding another field walk at 1.30pm on Tuesday 23rd August at Brownriggs’ Poukawa cover crop trial to discuss this.  Link to Fieldwalk details

LandWISE is working with Horticulture NZ and Plant and Food Research on the Holding it together project, and with Foundation for Arable Research on the Advanced Farming Systems Project.

Agronomy, Precision Agriculture, Projects

Managing weeds without chemicals

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As published in Grower July 2011

Dan Bloomer and James Powrie – LandWISE Inc.

“I plant with precision, so that I can mechanically weed with confidence, and quickly too,” says John Evans.

Farming 271 ha at Dorie in mid Canterbury, John’s crops are largely grown for seed. The mix includes red beet and radish, mustards, carrots, linseed, spinach, cabbage, process peas, ryegrass and wheat.

John’s tractor is fitted with RTK-GPS and steers itself along the rows.  His implements have their own GPS receiver, which combined with a modified forklift side shifter, controls their position to within 2 cm. This ensures all his field operations are very precise.

High precision planting sets the crop up perfectly for mechanical weeding. This provides chemical free weed treatment and saves money too.

On John’s farm, chemical options are limited for some crop types with crop regeneration and field pansy unable to be treated. “Also herbicide resistance is reducing the efficacy of remaining options,” he says.  The weeds that affect many of the crops John grows are very closely related to the crop and extremely difficult to control with herbicides. Push hoeing isn’t seen as a desirable management option!  With the precision he now has at his disposal he can cover the ground very quickly.  The job he does is arguably better than push hoe quality.

“In Europe they have fewer and fewer chemical options available.  This happens as chemicals are banned or companies elect not to invest in re registering them.  The same thing is happening in NZ,” John says.  Precision mechanical weeding technology is leaping ahead in Europe.

John’s visits opened his eyes to the new technology and how it can be applied.  He imported a tine weeder, having seen it being used.  It bolts onto his existing Konskilde inter row cultivator and gives a far higher level of control with minimal crop damage.

Mechanical weeding only dropped out of favour with the development of herbicide options over the last 50 years. GPS has allowed it to be used again, getting the benefits without the downsides.

Cost savings relating to GPS are difficult to quantify, however John says that if he had to purchase GPS and start again tomorrow he definitely would.  He can work longer and work rate increases, yet he has less fatigue and feels better at the end of a shift.  This lets him achieve extra work after driving too.

See the LandWISE website for information and events  www.landwise.org.nz  Contact us and let us put you in touch with farmers who are making changes, or for relevant information on sustainable cropping through technology.  Thanks to Foundation for Arable Research for their research assistance on this farm.

Uncategorized

Immense benefits from minimum tillage cropping

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As published in Grower May 2011

Dan Bloomer and James Powrie – LandWISE Inc.

Two days after harvest in poor weather conditions, worm castings covered the ground driven on by bean harvesters.
We were at Hugh Ritchie’s farm in Central Hawke’s Bay.  It was one of those times when we see a farmer really benefit from changes they have made.  It was confirmation that the effort and challenge has been worth it.

“This paddock is on one of our more difficult soils, with compaction issues holding us back before.  We don’t want multiple cultivations that require more labour and more steel in the ground.  Making the change to minimum tillage has been very successful here, we treat the soil as it prefers to be treated and we are being rewarded for that,” says Hugh.

The paddock was strip tilled then planted with beans.  Fuel use for establishment was 10 litres per hectare, against about 70 litres per hectares for a conventional heavy cultivation system.  With diesel at nearly $1.70/litre today those litres are worth saving.

Hugh’s bean yields were at the upper end for the season.   Even with yield and costs so compelling, the surprise was yet to come. The thing Hugh was most excited about was the state of his soil after harvest.

The bean roots had penetrated fully through the soil, showing little or no compaction. After harvest the surface was covered in worm castings, including in the tracks.  The depressions of the harvest tracks were barely noticeable and the soil opened up easily with a spade.

Hugh has achieved these improvements after adopting strip till, direct drill and GPS guidance.  He is planning to continue to move toward controlled traffic farming.  It is exciting to see, that even without matched equipment and with random traffic at harvest, Hugh and his soil are gaining from the changes made to his system.

Harvester configuration is often given as a reason not to adopt controlled traffic.   Hugh’s example shows that some discipline, minimum tillage and a focus on reducing compaction, has great benefits.  Common sense, some simple changes and new technology have slashed Hugh’s fuel bill and are improving his soil.

Where might you start?  Ask yourself the question – How can I burn less fuel and take better care of my soil?
Why is that tractor belching smoke? Is that heavy draft operation necessary?  Why is so much compaction present?  Is that second cultivation necessary?  Would a strip till or min till operation have been more fuel efficient and better for the soil?  Am I working against myself?  Am I wasting soil, oil and toil?

Talk to other farmers at a LandWISE or FAR event or conference.  See the LandWISE website for information and events  www.landwise.org.nz  Contact us and let us put you in touch with farmers who are making changes, or for relevant information on reducing tillage, controlled traffic farming and GPS guidance.

Agronomy, Controlled Traffic Systems, Drainage, Irrigation, Precision Agriculture, Projects, Water

LandWISE 2011 Conference on farmer’s successes with technology

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As published in Grower June 2011

Dan Bloomer and James Powrie – LandWISE Inc.

“Agriculture is the business to be in,” Hew Dalrymple told 115 delegates at the 9th LandWISE conference in Havelock North. Hew painted an exciting picture of high global demand for food and outlined some of the technologies he is adopting to be a better producer.

Chinese food consumption growth and diminishing area of agricultural land (8.33 million ha lost in the last 12 years) are just two drivers he presented.  Hew quoted David Stroud, chief executive officer of New York-based hedge fund TS Capital Partners: “China’s increased demand for agricultural commodities will mean an increase in prices for the entire world market. China can outlast any other bidders for the commodities it desires.”

One example: China, the world’s biggest grain producer, was a net exporter of soybeans until 1995.  This year, it’s forecast to import 57 million tons, or almost 60 percent of global trade in the oilseed used in animal-feed and tofu. Hew says this is setting the scene for NZ farmers to gain from exports.

Four AGMARDT sponsored experts from Australia addressed the conference. Professor David Lamb showed Precision Ag has moved steadily forward in Australia. He spoke on precision pastures and livestock, and the ways researchers are interpreting tracked animal behaviour to better manage farm systems.

David also described recent work with plane mounted crop sensors, capturing crop information from 150 feet, and how smart engineering is trying to use on board sensors to adjust aerial application rates in real time.

“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!” Steven Raine, Professor of Irrigation from Southern Queensland, opened the irrigation and drainage session with a review of precision irrigation. He pointed out that you can precisely apply irrigation to a whole paddock as one block. He challenged farmers to look at real returns from investment, rather than adding to a stable of toys.

Steven showed how really smart irrigation systems not only manage application, but measure, monitor and determine needs automatically with little input from farmers. This needs a high level of knowledge of soils, weather and crops, computer modelling and process controls. But your system must be working correctly in the first place, before expensive smart technologies will add value.

The how-to of successful Precision Agriculture was covered by Tim Neale and Andrew Whitlock from Australia.  They covered farm software, precision drainage design and controlled traffic farming with Australian examples and comments on NZ practices as they had seen in their travels prior to conference.  They were impressed by the New Zealand farmers they met. “We don’t know anyone in the world who has gone as far as you, with precision ag in potatoes and onions,” they told AS Wilcox delegates.

Simon Wilcox spoke about their experience starting with the LandWISE Controlled Traffic trial at Pukekawa.  GPS guidance has given them savings from the paddock to logistics, and in the processing plant, with better structured soil staying in the paddock instead of riding in the truck to the factory. “The washing plant loves it,” said Simon.

Emma McCracken described how she and husband Peter have paced their investment in technology at Wai-Iti Fresh in Canterbury.  They are new adopters, with RTK-GPS, new irrigation types and other technology being adopted in the past two years.  Emma described their plans to build on this base, and use such tools to address their challenges with soil quality, water use, drainage and crop yield.

Sjaak Wolfert leads a European Union research program to enhance the use of on farm data. Based at Wageningen in Holland, he described the challenges of data compatibility between brands.  The same difficulties we find in New Zealand are faced globally by farmers. Sjaak invited aligned efforts and assistance from LandWISE in spelling out farmers’ requirements of the technology industry.

Massey University has formed a joint Centre for Precision Agriculture with Lincoln University. Professor Ian Yule outlined where this fits with the advancement of Precision Agriculture in New Zealand. He spoke about paths to managing your farm at the highest practical resolution. Using sensors and fertiliser as examples, he explained the goals and difficulties of managing variability in time and space as crops develop.

Plant and Food research Scientists Bruce Searle and Steven Trolove brought zonal management of nutrients into perspective, relating soil measurements to crop wants, and translating complex nutrient mapping into farmer application decisions.

It was exciting to see how success with technology is becoming the norm across a range of sectors and to hear farmer’s plans for more.

And it’s not just for the big farms. Brothers Travis and Nigel, and father Gordon Sue, grow fresh vegetables on 70 ha of land in Levin. Travis explained the successes his family has had with auto-steer precision; cutting costs and making better use of their land.  He explained how they plan to make their site more productive by managing traffic better. “We should have had it [RTK-GPS] years ago,” says Gordon.

The conference was generously supported with the platinum sponsor being CASE IH NZ Ltd.  AGMARDT provided funding for Professors Steven Raine and David Lamb and Andrew Whitlock and Tim Neale to present at the conference also. For more detail on the conference and coming LandWISE events visit our website www.landwise.org.nz

Agronomy, Controlled Traffic Systems, Precision Agriculture, Projects, Tillage

Take More Care of Soil at Harvest

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As printed in Grower February 2011

James Powrie and Dan Bloomer LandWISE Inc.

In November LandWISE, FAR and Horticulture NZ held combined field visits to 7 cropping farms.  Visual soil assessments were performed at a range of sites and discussions held about what was seen.

Each farm is experiencing common challenges with soil quality.  All of the farmers visited want more soil quality because of what it means for the future of their operation…and almost all are getting less.  When we say less… digging soil from under a fence shows where the soil has come from, or its natural state.  When this is compared to the cropped soil, there is always a difference.  Often compaction damage is seen as big hard lumps with plant roots growing around their edges. Virtual rocks.

Farmers wanting to move their soil back toward this state have a range of options.
Reduce the use of powered implements –  Powered implements use PTO power to turn a tool at speed.  Soil structure is shattered at point of impact, rather than a natural line, worms and other life are destroyed and the natural flow pathways and porosity are interrupted. Depending on severity, full destruction of soil structure can result.  Often the progressively damaged structure requires increasing use of powered implements to create tilth.

Reduced traffic – Any practical mechanised system involves field traffic and compaction of soil, usually by wheels. Wheels cause soil damage, but this can be limited to a small proportion of field area by restricting all heavy wheels to permanent traffic lanes. Adoption in NZ and other countries has demonstrated the effectiveness and practicability of Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) systems in very different cropping environments.  Less trafficking means less remedial tillage is required to remove compaction and this can mean fuel savings and fewer operations.

Comparisons between CTF and conventional “random traffic” cropping systems in NZ are also showing improvements in soil quality, crop performance, time savings and a range of other gains.  Data from extensive grain production systems in Australia indicate that CTF could provide a major reduction in cropping emissions and massive improvements in hydrology.  CTF can improve productivity, and all measures of sustainability; it also overcomes some important constraints to the adoption of conservation agriculture.

As precise guidance becomes progressively cheaper, machine system width compatibility remains the only real barrier to a significant improvement in food security and the environmental footprint of cropping.  Imagined barriers can include tradition, stubbornness or resistance to change.

If soil is recognised as a primary asset on the farm and improvement a goal, then the cost is justified as an investment in the future.  It may be easier to make changes than you expect.  Some changes can create immediate improvements and savings.  With the urgency of better soil care becoming clear, be sure its not rocks in your head causing the rocks in your paddocks.

For more information on how farmers in NZ are making these changes and support with yours, talk to James Powrie (LandWISE) or Dan Bloomer.. Funding for this work has come from the Sustainable Farming Fund ‘Advanced Farming Systems’ and ‘Holding it Together’ programs.

Controlled Traffic Systems, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Uncategorized, Water

Water, oil and phosphate

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As published in March 2011 Grower

Dan Bloomer, LandWISE

Farmers are under constant pressure from the community. You hear and see it in the media everyday. “Cut food prices!” “Stop sucking our rivers dry!” “Produce more food!”
We hear of fully allocated water, peak oil, peak phosphate, and rising populations with higher and higher expectations (no observable peak there yet). So what can anyone do?

The last few generations have seen massive increases in agricultural productivity. Often attributed to increased fertiliser, chemical sprays and irrigation, it is often portrayed as negative.  But increased productivity is also the result of increased efficiency and learning compounding on learning. Efficient farmers produce more crop per hectare, more crop per litre of water, per litre of oil, per kilogram of phosphate. So they eke out those finite resources to give more people better nutrition.

Water, oil and phosphate are finite resources. Being more efficient doesn’t make any more. But it gives time to come up with the next great plan. And that’s what we must do with urgency.
Let’s think for a minute about those three farm inputs.
In the case of oil (energy), we ultimately need substitutes. Alternative energy options that may suit cities are not practical on farm. So agriculture is seen as a high priority area for remaining oil supplies (after the military).
Our immediate task is to increase efficiency until viable agricultural energy alternatives are developed. In the medium term, bio-fuel economics will give “Grow your own” new meaning. But more paddocks set aside for tractor feed means less for human feed. Even in the long term, energy efficiency must be a very high priority.
For crop production, the major efficiency gains farmers can have right now come from reduced cultivation. Avoid compaction, cultivate less, improve soil and require less cultivation. A positive spiral up the slippery slope.

Phosphate and water don’t have substitutes. Efficient use and recycling are essential.
Phosphate is lost in eroding soil and in our farm effluent and urban waste streams. It goes to sea. It takes millennia to return to land in mineable quantities, if we don’t remove the fish stocks in the meantime.

The Taupo urban treatment system applies waste to soil and produces stock feed, so the nutrients are rapidly returned to the agricultural system. We need the rest of the country (world) to follow suit. On farm, we need to minimise phosphate use and avoid excess soil levels. And we need to stop soil erosion and loss of effluent.  Water largely recycles itself and New Zealand has a very fortunate short cycling period. We do need to capture rainfall (free irrigation) and retain water in the landscape. That means strategic use of water storage including farm and community dams. On farm, it also means keeping soils in top condition to allow infiltration and store as much water as possible, and still ensure suitable drainage.
Our other main duty is looking after water quality, keeping nutrients levels suitable for stable ecosystems. We need to keep farm nutrients on the farm for growth. The cost of external nutrients is increasing. Soil is a resource we must retain. So there are multiple drivers for keeping soil and nutrients away from waterways.
Soil is the linking theme throughout this article. Too often we draw down on this natural capital for short term gain. It is the base farm resource and biggest capital investment. It is central to all we do and deserves as much care, repair and maintenance as any asset.

Drainage, Irrigation, Projects, Soil, Water

Improving profits by reducing surface ponding

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Ponding of surface runoff from rainfall and irrigation can reduce crop production. The ‘Holding it together’ project addresses this.

Plant & Food Research and LandWISE are working with growers on ways to reduce surface ponding, improve soil quality and increase returns.

MAF Sustainable Farming Fund, Fresh Vegetable Product Group, Potatoes NZ, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Horizons Regional Council, Auckland Regional Council, Environment Waikato and Ballance Agri-Nutrients have funded the project.

Runoff occurs when water infiltration is slower than application of rain or irrigation. In some soils, slow infiltration is due to texture, in others it is reduced by frequent tillage or compaction. Whatever the cause, runoff can pond for extended periods, in low-lying dips or field edges. This ponding can be damaging to crops.

Trials with onions have shown that even temporary ponding can reduce yields. Yield loss ranged from 60-80%.  Ponding also reduced the proportion of yield within the most profitable size range.

In one field, a leaky pipe resulted in ponding during irrigation. This area of 0.2 ha cost the grower $1,700 in lost income. The cost of fixing the pipe was $10.

A  similar-sized area was affected by ponding during spring rainfall. Resulting crop loss totalled $3,500 in lost income.

Other crops dislike wet feet too, especially during germination, emergence and early growth, when ponding can affect establishment and final yield outcomes.

Weeds and soil-borne diseases can also flourish in affected areas.  Mobile nutrients, such as nitrogen, are easily leached beyond shallow root zones, resulting in potential deficiency. In worst cases, crops require replanting.

The project also looked at the grower’s greatest asset – their soil. Soil condition proved to be poorer in ponded areas. In particular, aggregates became clumpy, and soils heavily compacted.  When aggregation and structure collapse, soils become poorly drained and aerated, access to nutrients and water is restricted, and this reduces yield.

Nutrients and productive topsoil also concentrate in ponded areas after runoff.  In ponded areas, soil Olsen P levels were as much as 75% higher than adjacent unponded areas. Organic matter levels were higher too. This can contribute to variability and input inefficiency over time.

Furrow diking is a tool to reduce surface runoff. Small soil dikes (dams) are formed in wheel tracks by a towed implement. Controlling runoff largely eliminates the impacts of ponding, meaning better returns.

Horowhenua grower, John Clarke has seen how effective diking can be. In the past, ponding has reduced yields in low-lying areas. Where they tested diking there was no standing water after heavy rain, this is a major improvement.

Hawke’s Bay grower Scott Lawson of True Earth Organics, is also an advocate. “Diking eliminates ponding damage and can reduce disease incidence. It’s standard practice now”.

Growers may also harvest more rainfall, as water has more soaking time and therefore more storage in the soil.

Scott Lawson notes that soils need to have good drainage. “sustainability of farming operations includes promoting good soil structure, by building organic matter levels, reducing cultivation and working to eliminate compaction”.

For more information on ‘Holding it Together’ projects or on implementing practices on-farm please contact Paul Johnstone (Plant and Food Research) or Dan Bloomer (LandWISE).

Controlled Traffic Systems, Precision Agriculture, Projects, Soil

The Dirt on Controlled Traffic Potatoes

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As printed in December Grower

James Powrie and Dan Bloomer LandWISE Inc.

Four tonnes less soil is going to the packhouse from each hectare of potatoes. It’s a result pleasing the team at A S Wilcox in Pukekohe.

Over the past two years A S Wilcox has been working on a controlled traffic system for potatoes and onions.  Helped by high accuracy GPS guidance, they want to improve soil quality and reduce cultivation costs by keeping field traffic to planned tracks.  They have seen beneficial changes in soil condition since reducing compaction and cultivation. They are now capturing the benefits through 45% less soil being transported to the packhouse. They have reduced transport costs, reduced washing plant time and energy and have much less waste soil at the packhouse.

Potatoes from the conventionally cultivated area carried nearly twice the dirt to the packhouse as those from the controlled traffic rows.

The Wilcox team extended the axle on the harvester so it could run in the traffic row. It means less compaction in the paddock and less time and fuel used for remedial cultivation.

Reducing soil on harvested crop was a major reason to pursue controlled traffic, particularly in Pukekawa where harvest operations are often difficult. “The clay soil has amazing stickability,” says Simon Wilcox. “It gums up the harvesters, slows down operations, and then after trucking it to the packhouse, we have to take it away again.”

To monitor savings, twelve tonne lots of potatoes were harvested from each of the controlled traffic and conventional cultivation areas and tracked through the packhouse.  The washing plant crew reported big efficiency gains, with potatoes from the conventional area often needing a double wash, against the controlled traffic area needing only one.

When the trial was harvested, weather and soil conditions were dry.  “We needed rain to see the full effect of controlled traffic on harvest conditions,” Simon Wilcox said.  “For once the rain never came! But we saw enough to know that controlling traffic is a good thing for our business, from paddock to packhouse”.

In addition to the harvest cost savings and soil improvements, the Wilcox team estimates they halved fuel use through controlling traffic. Convinced of the benefits, they have increased their controlled traffic area to 44 ha this year.  “It’s about making things better today and for the future,” says Simon.

The trial at A S Wilcox is part of the LandWISE ‘Advanced Farming Systems’ project run in conjunction with the Foundation for Arable Research.  It has close links to ‘Holding it Together’, a project with Horticulture New Zealand.  For more details, contact James Powrie (LandWISE) or Paul Johnstone (Plant and Food Research).

Controlled Traffic Systems, Precision Agriculture, Projects, Soil, Tillage

Rocks we make in our soil – field sessions on soil care and reducing costs

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Last week LandWISE completed a national round of field discussions in conjunction with HortNZ and FAR. The round started at Lawson’s Organic Farms in Hastings and finished at Peter and Emma McCracken’s farm at Rangiora where they grow onions, cauliflower, pumpkins, lucerne and maize.

Discussions were focused on soil care and cost reductions with reference to managing traffic and cultivation options. Over 100 farmers participated in the sessions from Pukekohe to Canterbury and looking at systems ranging from potatoes and onions, to maize, market gardens, and arable crops.

Visual Soil Assessment was used to observe cropped soils and then to compare them with uncultivated soil from under the nearest fenceline. It is always sobering to see the effects of cropping, particularly when it is continuous. Farmers were able to see the difference between dusty, compacted, platy or grey cropped soils vs the same soil type in its darker, porous, nutty, native state from nearby.

In some instances compaction from traffic and cultivation pans is creating virtual ‘rocks’ in the soil, these are so dense they don’t allow for storage of water or exploration by roots. In each case, after looking at soils, discussions turned to managing traffic and reducing powered tillage and how changes in practises are improving soil condition and farm profitability around the world.

The visits were supplemented with the expertise of a Nuffield scholar, James Peck from PX Farms in Cambridgeshire, and Dr Bruce Ball, a visiting soil scientist from Scotland. Bruce has practised and encouraged reduced cultivation and better traffic management since the 1980s, because it is a solution to many of today’s cropping challenges. As he concludes his Nuffield tour, James commented that he is seeing improved management of traffic create dramatic soil improvements and cost savings at all scales, in Europe and Australasia.

It has been said that farmers make their money with the top 6 inches…. of their head. It is interesting that many innovative farmers reflect on changes they have made and note that many perceived barriers turned out to be imaginary – rocks in their heads….

As new technology offers the chance to take better care of soil, it’s a good time to check for ‘rocks’ in our soil, and in our heads…, and then to explore new and proven options for better care of cropping soils.

Talk to LandWISE if you would like to discuss your options or have us help you meet a farmer who has overcome similar challenges to yours.  Someone surely has.

Contact James for more information on 06 6504531 – 0272 757757 – james@landwise.org.nz

Promoting sustainable production