NEWARK, DE - Farmers who rent land should survey fields carefully for potential production problems before deciding whether to renew the rental agreement. “Anyone renting or considering renting farmland should carefully evaluate every field before making a deal to re-rent or to add more land to their operation,” advises University of Delaware extension agricultural agent Derby Walker. The first step in such an evaluation is to identify serious week problems such as john songrass, giant ragweek, bur cucumber or Canada thistle. Canada thistle and johnsongrass are considered noxious weeds in Delaware and by law must be controlled. Burcucumber and giant ragweek may be added to that list. But, says Walker, several other plants-including spurred anoda, shatter cane and triazine resistant weeds-are also very difficult to control. “If a farm has a serious week infestation which will require special treatment to control, this A LESSON WELL LEARNED... LANCASTER FARMING'S CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS! Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 h\ STRIKE IT RICH! SELL IT WITH A LANCASTER FARMING CLASSIFIED may increase your production costs,” the extension agent says. “For example, if it costs you $l5O an acre to grow soybeans in a certain field and the rent for that field is $6O, a weed problem that costs you $lO extra to control could boost your production costs from a normal $2lO to $220 an acre. ’ ’ Two other problems to look for when evaluating a field for possible rental are signs of nutritional deficiency, and nematodes. “It’s especially easy to spot these areas in soybean fields,” Walker says. “Usually the indicators are off-colored or stunted beans. Investigate these spots to determine their cause. Sometimes you can tell by looking at the plants; other times, a soil sample and/or nematode test must betaken.” When a field is infested with soybean cyst nematodes, it can greatly alter cropping alternatives because the grower will be limited to resistant soybean varieties and will need to follow a crop rotation program in order to prevent high yield losses. Similarly, a ATTENTION POULTRYMEN Strong healthy livestock resist disease. Trying to cure flu is too late. Why do vigorous people not get a virus that goes around in the winter? Dr. Willard, a chemist, discovered that a certain altering of molecules in water is very healthy to drink to prevent disease and help in stress. It has an excellent record in Canada, the mid-west, and noyv also in Penna. Some have bought 3 and 4 times from us for livestock because it pays in feed efficiency and in stress. Horses and greyhounds win because they are stronger, yet calmer. The company gives a very reduced price this Jan. only for the worried Penna. poultrymen. Take advantage quickly before it is too late for the discount and for the flu! If you want to be notified about a meeting soon by the company president, drop a line. Ask for literature or a visit appointment. Also for literature about our natural farming program that gets much free nitrogen and potash out of the air which produces better feed than when grown with chemicals. We are what we eat. Same with the soil and the cows. We have a low priced natural feed ingredient that is really saving duck mortality in Berks County. Would probably keep chickens healthy. Sick cows respond good and increase in milk. Save money by buying pure plant food powder and mix in your own water for fertilizer. About half price. Our NEMA microscopic cover 'crop is a great and fast soil im prover. Improves while it grows underground with other crops. Our water filter for livestock is high in performance and low m price. ORGANIC CENTER 217 S. Railroad Ave., New Holland, PA 17557 tyot open full time in mid-winter. Try 717-354-7064 about 7.30 to 8:15 AM. or Home Phone 215-273-2683 6-6:45 A M How to evaluate rental land nutritional problem will mean spending extra dollars to correct the deficiency and bring the field up to standard. Something else to look for in soybean fields is any symptom of a soil-borne disease like Fusarium or root rot. These diseases often don’t show up until late in the season when dead bean plants appear. Sometimes entire areas of a field will be almost totally wiped out. “If there’s root rot in a field,” Walker says, “it’s better not to plant soybeans there. Or try a resistant variety. Howevelr, fields that have been planted to beans several years in a row may have so many disease organisms that even resistant varieties will fail. ’ ’ Because these problems are common onthe Oelmarva penin sula, the county agent says it’s extremely important to evaluate field-by-field the land a farmer tills or plans to till. Just one field with a serious problem can threaten an entire farm operation. This should be taken into account-especially under current conditions of economic stress. “If you’re renting a piece of land and encounter serious problems which boost your production costs by $lO to $2O per acre,” he says, “ask'yourself: Can I afford to till that field?” If production costs will be in creased beyond the possibility of making a profit, that piece of ground is a guaranteed loss. “Today,” says Walker, “you can’t afford to plant a crop into a field where you can’t expect a return over cost because of a nematode infestation, nutritional imbalance or serious weed problem. If, on the other hand, you have options which can help in crease your chances of making a profit, take advantage of them.” Delaware farmers who don’t know how to evaluate rental land can contact the University of Delaware’s extension farm COMING FEBRUARY 4 & 5 Open House WATCH FOR FULL DETAILS IN NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE OF LANCASTER FARMING! ROY H. SUCH, INC Ephrata RD 2, PA Phone 717-859-2441 management specialist, Dr. Don Tilmon. He is prepared to sit down with individual producers and show them how to do this, adding in the costs imposed by serious problems and using these costs to determine a fair rental value. (Programs of the Delaware Cooperative Extension Service are open to everyone regardless of race, color, sex, handicap, age or national origin.) “It doesn’t take long to evaluate a farm,” Walker concludes. “Basically it’s a matter of carefully looking over the land, making notes as you go, jotting down your production costs, ad ding a rental value plus any ad ditional expenses imposed by special problems, and then determining what you feel is a legitimate yield potential for that farm. If you know the market value of the crop, it isn’t difficult to figure out whether you can ac tually afford to rent that piece of ground under that particular cropping system.” NUMBKR OMB WORLDWIDE DEUTZ ALLIS mH NEW IDEA