Agronomically, 2023 was a challenging crop year.  A relatively early warm up was interrupted by a very heavy wet snow that set back crops early in the season.  Although there was good moisture, the Canadian wildfires produced long lasting hazy conditions that kept temperatures down and sunlight limited.  High temperatures in early June triggered the orchard grass to head out early, while the alfalfa was developing more slowly.  In order to assure desired forage quality, we opted to take the first cutting on 17 June.  This was very nice first crop hay.  Yields were similar to 2022.  The second crop took off well with improved sunlight availability, but unfortunately, we did not get much rain.  The second crop did not mature very rapidly.  We gave it six weeks and the alfalfa was still not flowering.  We cut on 28 July.  This was a little lighter crop than 2022, although hay quality was quite good.  We hoped for a decent third cutting, but rains were light.  We cut on 2 Sept.  The yield was very light.  In retrospect, we would have been better off making two cuttings.

      For 2024, we plan on doing only two cuttings, hoping to give the alfalfa an opportunity to flower.  Alfalfa generates new roots when it flowers, and not allowing it to do this is likely hurting plant development. 

      We added 18 acres of new seedings in 2013.  We seeded 6 acres last year but were not pleased with the population, so we reseeded in the spring.  This too did not seem very thick, so we reseeded again in August, and this looks better.  We have 7 acres of newly seeded straight alfalfa for 2024.  This is a branched root variety, and it should recover more quickly after cutting than the current alfalfa strains.

       In May we also seeded down 6 acres of straight sainfoin.  This came up reasonably well, but so did the weeds.  We mowed in late July to reduce competition.  In mid-August we worked up another 5 acres and seeded that down to sainfoin as well.  We got a good rain right after seeding, and this came up well.  It got out ahead of the weeds, and prospects for a decent stand look promising. Late summer seeding seems the better practice.  We will see what we have next spring.  We are excited about this crop.  Based on the deer population in the field, it looks like what we read about deer being attracted to this crop is proving to be correct.  Sainfoin produces a lot of nectar, and it should attract pollinators of all sorts.  His should be a positive for diversity and overall soil health.  Sainfoin is hard to get established, with low vigor during the first year being frequently reported. 

     Equipment upgrades were a big focus for 2023.  With future emphasis on forage production, we sold equipment used for grain production, and upgraded to newer haymaking machinery that would be easier to operate.  Actually, all of our haymaking machinery was updated, so there was a steep learning curve as it was put into service the first time.  The mower for example has stub guards, which do not plug.  This is really great, but you can break a sickle section, and it is not so easy to detect!  On the first crop we found some streaks in the field when we raked.  Knowing what to look for helps a lot.  Simple new features like the hydraulic tongue eliminate headaches in getting the machine out of the shed and setting it up for cutting.  For raking we got an 11-wheel trailer rake.  This is very easy to hitch up, and it will rake three 9’ windrows into a single balanced windrow in light hay.  On balers we initially went to a New Holland 315 with a super sweep pickup.  This pickup was wider and there were many more teeth which is helpful in retaining alfalfa leaves when hay gets down below 13% moisture.  We added a quarter turn chute, so bales sit on edge.  This reduced moisture pickup from the ground, if there is any moisture in the ground!  The better insure we do not get wet bales, we installed an in-chamber moisture meter, so we know the moisture level of each plunger stroke.  This proved useful, and it saves time in not having to stop and probe bales.

      This fall we found a New Holland BC5070 baler that is basically a state-of-the-art high-capacity machine, and it was well cared for, having only bailed wheat straw.  Having hay down and a baler that will not bale is every farmers worst nightmare.  Being far from servicing dealers is always an issue in the UP.  Having newer machinery reduces concerns.  The capacity of modern balers means we can bale fast, and we will get consistent bales.  The BC5070 has a hydraulic bale tension system and additional side doors that can produce very dense bales.  We are not looking to make bales that weigh 100 lbs, but we can tighten them up a little, and we will be getting better consistency, both is bale weight and length.  We will also be adding an inline moisture sensor to this baler, based on positive experiences with this technology on our 315 baler.  We plan on shifting to poly twine in 2024, based on improved consistency.  Sisal twine quality has been getting worse, and it is more expensive.  As we tighten up our bales, twine strength becomes more important.  The machine is set up for 170 lb poly twine, so we plan on using that to avoid any setup issues.

      We conducted several experiments related to nutrition using foliar sprays.  Foliar sprays of organic nutrients can correct any deficiencies nearly immediately.  Tissue testing suggested that we would benefit from highly available carbon and calcium.  We were also in need of more Selenium, Cobalt, Manganese, and Iodine.  These micronutrients we added to the mix and applied to each crop and for the final growth after the third cutting.  This year was a good reminder of what plants need.  In order of importance, plants need: Water, Heat, Sunshine, and finally nutrients.  If the plants do not get needed water, needed degree days, and abundant sunshine, nutrients are not going to make much difference.  Hopefully 2024 will give more optimal conditions, and that some of the added soil amendments will make a difference in the future.  We will continue to conduct plant tissue tests to assure we are not missing something important.  We did a battery of soil tests to better understand where there might be some opportunities for next year.  We did both Haney tests and a full nutrient assessment that tells us just what we have in the soil.  It is important to know what is available to the plant, but sometimes you also need to determine just what is there, and what might not be.  Healthy soils have adequate bacteria and fungi to recycle nutrients and to make micronutrients more available, but if critical elements are missing, the plant will lack what it needs to thrive.  These elements will be the focus in 2024.  The Haney test provides a measure of soil health by characterizing the biology living in the soil.  This is the first time we conducted this type of test, and are a little unsure what it might show, given the extended dry conditions.  Need to start somewhere.  It should provide a starting point for our journey in improving the biology in our soil over time.  We had interest in biochar, and are continuing to follow this alternative, doing grow box evaluations.  If positive results are found, we will explore alternatives to evaluate in the field.  Strip testing is very useful for side-by-side comparisons of treated and untreated effects. 

     One the highlights of 2024 was a decision to establish an apiary.  The sainfoin, with its prolific nectar production, promises to make copious amounts of high-quality honey.  The UP seems to be an excellent place to raise bees, free from herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides.  The winters are a concern, but we are going to get some experience this winter with three colonies.  If the bees and the sainfoin survive the winter, we will bump up our colony count considerably.  Bees are interesting and there is a lot to learn in order to partner with them.  The presence of pollinators should significantly improve soil health and all the critters that depend upon the soil. 

      We have a herd of about 30 deer that typically visit our fields daily.  They bring microbes to the field and increase the diversity of the bacteria and fungi that live in the soil.  This contributes to improved soil health, which helps improve the nutrient density of our forages. 

      After 110 years picking rocks on the Dynamite Hill Farm, we seem to be making progress.  We are breaking fewer guards on the mower.  We bought a mechanical rock picker for the bigger rocks, and then there are the grandkids for the smaller ones!  We don’t expect to be rock free anytime soon, but we are making progress.  Rocks are the one crop that seems consistent.  Perhaps a warm winter with the El Nino will cut our rock crop and improve the weather pattern for 2024 crop year. 

      Plans for 2024 include multiple light applications of Potash fertilizer based on soil tests.  Most other nutrients seem to be in the desired range.  We extended a tile line this fall and rebuilt a washed-out road into the swamp with the help of our neighbor and his excavator.  Relative to seeding intentions we plan on adding another ten acres of sainfoin, possibly with some orchard grass to reduce weed competition.  We expect sainfoin to be a popular forage, and if the bees work out, it will allow us to expand the apiary.  We have another 10 – 15 acres of low ground that will not work for alfalfa or sainfoin, but it might support Birdsfoot Trefoil and Orchard Grass.  Trefoil, like sainfoin, has some unique characteristics.  New varieties that grow more upright might be better for hay than early varieties like Empire that spread out.  This would likely only produce a single crop, but it would allow those fields to be productive.  The trefoil would also provide nectar for the bees and give them something other than sainfoin to work with.

     Our forages feed goats, horses, donkeys, sheep, deer, cattle, and rabbits.  Our intention is to provide quality forage that is as consistent as we can put up given the growing conditions mother nature provides.  We use customer input to make decisions regarding what we grow, and even how we grow it, and put up our hay.  We appreciate any feedback you can provide.  With this, we can better meet your needs!