A32-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 19, 2002
"Basically" Farming
Helpful hints for new
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College of Agricultural Sciences
Coopeiative Extension - Southeast Region
SOIL FERTILITY: START
FROM THE GROUND UP!
Dwane L. Miller
Schuylkill County
Cooperative Extension
Dr. Rick Stehouwer from Penn
State refers to soil as the “black
box” of crop production, and I
have to agree with that. We put
things into the box, and we get
things out of the box, but no one
really knows what happens inside
that box. While most farmers are
not chemists or soil scientists
(myself included), we should still
understand the foundation by
which most fertility decisions
should be made: soil testing.
A soil test performed by a reli
able laboratory provides a good
estimate of the fertility status of a
field. Soil testing should be the
basis for any fertilizer applica
tion. In order to have a chance at
achieving maximum yields, soil
testing for agronomic crops
should be done every three years.
For vegetables and other high
value crops, an annual soil test is
recommended. For each year, a
fertilizer recommendation is
given for nitrogen (N), phos
phate, (P 205), and potash
These are me same three main
nutrients that appear in all fertil
izers.
Recommendations are crop
specific, matching the crop you
specify on the soil test form.
The basic soil test also gives an
interpretation of the current pH
of the soil. Soil pH indicates the
level of acidity in the soil. A soil
with a pH less than 7.0 is consid
ered an acid soil. High levels of
soil acidity (low pH) can reduce
root growth, reduce nutrient
availability, and affect herbicide
activity. For most agronomic
crops, a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is
ideal for crop growth.
However, the pH tolerance
range for various crop species
can vary. For example, legumes
and barley respond better to a pH
range between 6.5 and 7.0, while
oats can tolerate a much lower
pH (5.5). Soil test recommenda
tions give, based on a specific
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crop, the amount of limestone re
quired to raise the pH of the soil
to an optimum level.
If the test calls for more than
four tons of limestone per acre,
the application should be split
with half of the limestone plowed
in and the rest worked into the
surface with secondary tillage.
For low rates of limestone, or if a
split application is not possible,
the limestone should be worked
into the surface rather than
plowed down. This will assure
that the surface soil, where the
seedling is developing and where
the nodulation begins in legumes,
has the proper pH.
Many other tests can be per
formed on your soil sample.
Some include organic matter,
mercury, lead, and arsenic. These
optional tests are available for an
additional fee. Fees vary with the
test performed.
Fall is an ideal time to have
your soil tested. This will allow
you to add any limestone to fields
that require it, and give the lime
stone a chance to work its
“magic” in the soil until the fol
lowing spring. Soil test kits are $6
each and are available from and
Penn State Cooperative Exten-
PMMB Announces
September Class I Price
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The Pennsylvania Milk
Marketing Board (PMMB) an
nounced the prices to be paid to
Pennsylvania dairy fanners for
September Class I milk (bever
age) as an average of $14.51 in
the western areas of the common
wealth, and an average of $l5 in
the central and eastern areas of
the commonwealth. These prices
include the over-order premium
of $1.65 per 100 pounds of milk.
Farmers, whose milk produc
tion is pooled under a federal
order, will receive a marketwide
blend price based upon the value
of all classes of milk. However,
the blend price received will vary
sion Office.
Here are some soil sampling
tips:
• Sample at the right time.
The best time to sample is in the
fall.
• Take cores from 15-20 spots
randomly over the field to obtain
a representative sample. Remem
ber: the more spots you sample,
the better your sample will repre
sent the entire field. One sample
should not represent more than
10 to 20 acres.
• Sample between rows. Avoid
old fence rows, dead furrows, and
other spots that are not represen
tative of the whole field.
• Take separate samples from
problem areas, or avoid them all
together.
• Sample to plow depth in cul
tivated fields.
• Take two samples from no
till fields: one- to a six-inch depth
for lime and fertilizer recommen
dations and one- to a two-inch
depth to monitor surface acidity.
• Sample permanent pastures
to a three- to four-inch depth.
• Collect the samples in a
clean container.
• Mix the core samplings,
allow to air dry, and remove
roots and stones.
We’ve only begun to scratch
the surface on the topic of soil
fertility, but hopefully you’ll un
derstand that soil testing is one of
the basic building blocks of crop
production. You can’t expect to
achieve top yields without first
knowing the condition of your
soil. Where else can a $6 invest
ment return so much?
Editor’s note: Comments and
suggestions are always wel
come. Please contact Dwane
Miller, Schuylkill County Co
operative Extension, 1202 Ag
Center Drive, Pottsville, PA
17901, (570) 622-4225.
as the component composition of
a farmer’s milk differs from the
established benchmarks of 3.5
percent butterfat, 2.99 percent
protein, and 5.69 percent other
solids.
—YORK AG PRODUCTS
UNITED MOLASSES
SUGAR AS A NUTRIENT IN DAIRY RATIONS.
Dr. Charlie Sniffen Dr. Dave Byers Dr. Tony Tucker
Locations: Holiday Inn West on the Carlisle Pike, Harrisburg.
Producers/ Consultants / Nutritionists invited.
Date / Time: October 29, 12:30 PM
Lunch will be served @ 12:30, followed by the meeting at 1:15.
Meeting should conclude by 2:30.
KENNETT SQUARE (Chest
er Co.) Safety Agriculture Vil
lages Environment (S.A.V.E.),
has announced it has hired Dee
Durham as its new executive di
rector.
Durham joins S.A.V.E. after
eight years as the executive direc
tor of Preservation Delaware,
Incl, the statewide historic pres
ervation organization in Dela
ware.
She serves on Gov. Ruth Ann
Minner’s Advisory Council for
Livable Delaware and is active in
preservation and nonprofit proj
ects.
Chairman Louis Kaplan said
“S.A.V.E. is fortunate to have an
individual with the qualifications,
insight, and energy which Dee
Durham brings to our organiza-
Top Dairy Industry Executives
Speak At Dairy lea
SYRACUSE, N.Y. Dairylea
Cooperative Inc. announced that
several top executives in the
dairy industry were scheduled to
speak at its annual meeting Tues
day, at the Holiday Inn in Liver
pool, N.Y.
Each year Dairylea invites in
dustry leaders to speak to its
membership and agribusiness
professionals to provide perspec
tive on the dairy industry.
The program’s first guest
speaker is Wes Allen, president
and chief executive officer of
Leprino Foods Company, a man
ufacturer of mozzarella cheese.
Allen spoke about how Leprino
Foods began, its growth, the
scope of operations, and the com
pany’s unique position in the
marketplace.
Secondly, attendees were set to
hear from C.O. “Tex” Beshears,
chairman and chief executive of
ficer of National Dairy Holding
s' dairy processing company.
We Salute Our Farming Industry
YOU’RE
United Molasses and York Ag Products
are sponsoring educational meetings.
NEW NUTRITIONAL APPROACH TO
TRANSITION COWS.
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USDA - Beltsville, MD. - Producers Onh
Date/Time: Oct 30, 10:00 AM
Please RSVP by 10-23-02
1-800-632-1895
S.A.Y.E. Hires
Executive Director
NVITED!
TOPICS:
tSi
eakers:
tion. She will operate our office
at Willowdale and provide con
tinuity for S.A.V.E. as we bring
our two-lane alternative before
elected officials and the public in
the coming month.”
S.A.V.E. is a citizens group
working to develop and promote
alternatives to PennDOT’s plans
for a new four-lane expressway
along Rt. 41. According to Chair
Louis Kaplan, there are better
ways to address the safety and
congestion problems in the corri
dor. S.A.V.E. proposes a three
part solution that includes limit-
ing through-bound tractor-trailer
trucks in the area, implementing
modern traffic calming tech
niques, and increasing enforce
ment of traffic laws.
Beshears’ presentation is titled
“New in the National Market
place National Dairy Hold
ings” and he was set to talk about
the history behind National
Dairy Holdings, how it was
formed, its scope of operations,
and how it was able to quickly
position itself as a major player
in the national market.
The afternoon’s last speaker
was Gary Hanoi an, president
and chief executive officer of
Dairy Farmers of America
(DFA), the nation’s largest dairy
cooperative with more than
23,000 members. Hanman’s pre
sentation is titled, “Where are
DFA and the U.S. Dairy Industry
Going?” and he was to discuss
the future direction for DFA, in
cluding new relationships and
ventures. Hanman also shares his
thoughts on the future direction
for the U.S dairy industry as a
whole.