EM-lancaster Farming,, Saturday, August ts, 1992
Late August Is Deadline. For Summer-Seeded
MOUNT JOY (Lancaster Co.)
Alfalfa growers in the eastern
U.S. can recover winter-killed
production of their primary forage
source by seeding a new crop
before the end of August.
Last year’s open winter caused
significant winter kill of alfalfa in
the New England stales, according
to Joey Mayer, field agronomy
manager for Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc. With reduced
production, prices for quality
alfalfa hay have been rising stead
ily, he said.
“The month of August is the
best timet for summer seeding,”
Mayer said. “In the New England
area, summer seedmgs should be
made by the middle of August. In
PACD
Awards
Clean
Water
Farms
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) The Pennsylvania Chesa
peake Bay Clean Water Farm
Awards for 1992 were presented
at the quarterly conference of the
Pennsylvania Association of Con
servation Districts (PACD)
recently.
The program, jointly sponsored
by Pennsylvania’s Department of
Agriculture and Environmental
Resources, recognizes the slate’s
farm operations which excel in
water quality protection.
Pennsylvania Secretary of
Agriculture Boyd Wolff and Vic
Funk, acting chief of DER’s
Bureau of Soil and Water Conser
vation, presented this year’s four
recipients, all dairy operations:
• In Clearfield County, near
Grampian, Knob Farm, a father
and son operation owned by
Robert and Jeff Wriglesworth.
• In Northumberland County,
overlooking the Susquehanna
River, the RMD Schultz Farm,
operated by three brothers,
Ronald, Marlin, and Duane, and
their families.
• In Franklin County, near Fay
etteville, the farm of Evan and
Lon Burkholder and their three
sons.
• In Lebanon County, south of
Annville, the Butcher Brothers
Farm, owned by Mark and Stanley
Bucher and operated by Stanley
and his wife Cindy since 1977.
The owners of these four opera
tions have worked diligently to
install and maintain farming prac
tices which not only protect their
land and help them maintain peak
production, but also prevent soil
and excess nitrogen and phosphor
us from running into streams,
lakes, and underground supplies.
This year’s award recipients
were nominated by their county
conservation districts who were
among representatives from all
over the state, gathering to honor
them at their regular PACD quar
terly business conference and
banquet.
Pennsylvania and the Delmarva
region, growers can seed as late as
the end of the month.
“But the alfalfa plant should
have 60 to 70 days of growth
before the first frost to ensure
adequate root and top develop
ment going into winter,” Mayer
said.
Mayer recommends the follow
ing steps for late-summer estab
lishment of new alfalfa stand:
• Check soil pH; the optimum is
These new Oswalt 11 four
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PENNSYI
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STAR SILOS
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6.7 to 6.9. Use liquid or finely
ground lime if a small but rapid
pH change is required.
• Unless the field 'is sloping,
direct seed without a nurse crop.
Generally, no herbicide is
required. However, perennial
grasses especially quackgrass
should be controlled with a
grass herbicide.
• Seedbed preparation is the
single most important step,
according to Mayer. “Make sure
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soil is firm before seeding,” the
Pioneer agronomist said.
* Select a newer alfalfa variety
with proven winter hardiness. Pre
mium varieties will provide a lon
ger stand life and increased pro
duction because of improved yield
potential and genetic resistance to
insects and diseases.
• Optimum seeding rate is 12 to
18 pounds per acre, but will vary
by area and planting conditions.
Seed depth may need to be slightly
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HOOVER EQUIPMENT
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814-684-1777
Alfalfa
deeper ifiap in the spring. Use of a
cultipacker or roller is critical.
• Soil moisture is the most lim
iting factor for success in late
summer seedings, but it’s better to
seed in dry soil than wail for ram.
If irrigation is available to ensure
stand establishment, use it.
Mayer advises farmers to check
with their local seed sales rep
resentative variety availability and
additional management informa
tion.
and exclusive, self-
lubricating TUff-Glide®
liners help feed materials
flow more freely, reducing
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material hang-ups and
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A better quality of mix!
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Elmer, NJ 08318
609-358-8528