The mild winter and early spring got crops off to an early start.  In mid-March we applied a comprehensive custom blend of granular fertilizers based on detailed soil testing results.  UP soils, particularly lighter sandy soils, tend to be highly deficient in Potash.  We applied potassium sulfate in the amounts needed to get to the threshold level for this nutrient.  We also applied Sulfur, Boron, Manganese, and Zinc.  Consistent rainy and cloudy weather delayed the first cutting to July 9^th.  This gave us courser hay that we like, but you can not make hay in the rain!  Our first cutting yield was the highest we have seen on this field, probably going back a hundred years!  Although we cut later than we did the past couple years, and we had a lot of rain, we are clearly doing something right.

      Soil fertility is important and soil biology determines what nutrients in the soil are actually available to the plants.  Sap testing is like a blood test for plants, and it tells you how well the plant is doing at extracting what it needs from the soil or air.  By comparing results with sap test results from the most healthy and vigorous plants tested around the world, you can determine how the plant is performing.  This defines deficiencies and excesses, which provides critical insight into what is needed to optimize plant performance.  We ran sap tests in May and repeated them in mid-June.  Deficiencies are defined, and prescriptions are developed for foliar sprays.  Plants can absorb nutrients from their leaves, and this technique results in a much quicker response, with less mineral application.

     Getting plants to optimum performance produces not only higher yields, but more balanced forage, with a full dose of all the nutrients that particular forage can provide.  There are big differences in the nutritional density of plants, even when comparing alfalfa to alfalfa.  Sap tests showed deficiencies of Molybdenum, Cobalt, which are very important in supporting rhizobium, that fixes nitrogen.  Other deficiencies were not as severe, but supplementation of Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, and Copper were included in the foliar treatment, which was applied on 30 July.  Giving the plant everything it needs relative to nutrients and micronutrients gets the plant to a point where it photosynthesizes at maximum capacity.  This means that the plant stores excess sugars in the rhizosphere, allowing soil biology to thrive, which in turn helps build organic matter and a healthier microbiome, which is critical to the plant long term.  Improving soil health is really our primary driver, and this will help us provide better forage crops in the future. 

      We are looking forward to seeing how the field responds to the 30 July foliar treatment.  Good rain, warm temps, ample sunshine, and complete nutrition should result is what may be our best hay crop ever.  The bigger concern is the weather.  With today’s weather forecasts it is getting easier to avoid rains.  Dew is often overlooked, and we are focusing on this in order to provide the highest quality hay.  We have to work with what we are given, but hopefully we are making the best balanced choices. 

    Much of our machinery used for hay making is in its first or second season on our farm.  The first cutting saw the initial use of our New Holland 166 inverter, and our New Holland BC5070 baler.  We were very happy we had the inverter for the first cutting because the hay we too heavy for the V rake.  The baler was pretty trouble free, and tied flawlessly, but bales were a little too heavy, and inconsistent in length, which contributed to weight differences.  The baler had been set up for wheat straw which is softer due to hollow stems.  We removed a pair of wedges and adjusted the side doors to reduce resistance.  This will allow us to control bale density with the hydraulic tension system, as the system was designed to do.  This should also help get to more consistent bale length.  Really heavy bales might be a good deal, but if they cause back or muscle problems, they really are not that great of an idea.  Hopefully, we will get the baler dialed in on the second cutting.   

     Given the late first cutting, and delayed second cutting, we are not sure we will take a third cutting this year.  Leaving the crop standing will help the plants survive the winter and will help feed the microbes that will improve the soil and help with next year’s crop. 

     We did our first Haney test last September and are looking forward to seeing how well we did relative to improving soil health in 2024.  The Haney test provides an accurate assessment of soil health, beyond simply measuring concentrations on nutrients.  Ongoing testing provides a measure of how well we are doing on our journey and how good we are at stewardship.

   In recent years the role of soil microbes has also become better understood, and a growing community of growers has emerged under the banner of “Regenerative Ag”, that are heavily focused on soil microbiology. The microbes consist, at a fundamental level, of a broad number of different bacteria and fungi. These microbes feed larger soil life forms, some invisible and others larger. Earth worms are some of the larger beneficial life forms that play an important role in recycling soil nutrients and in building soil health. Tillage practices, fertilization choices, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides all have a large impact on soil microbiology. Things like cover crops have been shown to be highly beneficial to the soil biology, partly because the crops feed the microbes late in the fall and early in the spring when the microbe population is declining rapidly because of the lack of food.
     A vigorous and diverse population of microbes builds organic matter in the soil, and also helps the soil retain water and promotes soil aggregates that affect the soil’s ability to allow water to better entry the soil profile. The microbes are much smaller than root hairs and can access water that the roots cannot. Microbes also produce enzymes that can dissolve minerals in the soil. Fungi form large networks that basically connect everything in the field and can be viewed as a major extension of the roots. Plant roots connect to both bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere where they exchange sugars that the microbes need, for minerals that the plants need. The microbes are basically part of the plant’s supply chain. They are also an important source of water. The degree of this synergism is dictated by soil health, and it greatly impacts plant health and yields. Plants grown on soils with healthy biology are not only more robust, but they are also typically much higher in nutrition. Our forages tend to be preferred by animals because they can taste the difference. Growing grass/alfalfa forages basically follows most Regenerative AG practices since we do not disturb the soil, do not use chemicals, and apply fertilizers at low rates so as to not burn the microbes. Alfalfa does remove a lot of nutrients from the soil due to it’s very high nutritional profile, so some of these must be replenished in order to maintain a healthy soil.

     In 2023 we ran many tests in order to better understand our soil status and plant health. Typical soil tests were done to understand what nutrients might be deficient in our soil. The UP is not a big farming area and much of what has been learned in recent years has not yet been translated into cropping practices. Soils are always unique with their own particular strengths and weaknesses. We have unique deficiencies that are not always understood. Soil testing can be confusing because only some of specific minerals in the soil are available to the plants, and test results will vary depending on the extractant used by the test to dissolve the minerals. You may have thousands of lbs of K, but only a few pounds might be plant available because it might be tied up by soil particles that hold on to it harder than roots can pull it away. 

     We did a new type of test in 2023 called a total digestion test, where a very aggressive extraction process is used. This typically involves a very acidic extractant that dissolves the particles and releases all the minerals. This test proved very useful and helped define what was actually present in the soil profile. We have been told that there is typically a lot of K in the soil, but it might not be available. UP soils, at least on the Dynamite Hill Farm just do not have a lot of K, and this must be added for crops like alfalfa, which needs a lot of K. Understanding this helps greatly in our efforts to optimize mineral availability. We love our microbes, but they cannot make something available if it is not there in the first place!

     Another new test we used in 2023 was the Haney test. This is comprised of a series of tests that help define soil biology. Soil microbes breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide just like we do. By accurately measuring CO2 in the soil under controlled conditions, the test yields an accurate indicator of biological activity in the soil. Our soil respiration came in at 107.5 ppm C, which is a pretty high number. Our soil health calculation was 12.68, which is OK. The lab likes to see scores above 7, and the typical really good Iowa soils might score 25 – 30. What the test showed was that we need additional carbon. A hay crop removes all residue from the field, leaving little to recycle. In 2024 we will be adding several different carbon sources to help feed our biology. This should significantly improve plant vigor. We actually noticed areas where some hay was left in the field were much more lush and about twice as tall. Although antidotal, this seems to support the findings that we are short on carbon. 

     We also ran several plant sap analysis tests in 2023. This is the latest technology in plant analysis. By looking at nutrient values for all critical nutrients, and knowing what the cultivar needs for optimum health, you quickly see if there are any real deficiencies. Even though the soil may be low in some elements, the Sap test tells if the plant was actually able to get what it needed. By comparing old and new leaves, you can tell if the plant was pulling minerals out of old growth to support new growth, providing additional clues as to the status of mobile nutrients. This information is used to prescribe a foliar spray that will get any needed nutrients to the plant before deficiencies affect plant health. This approach will be used to help ensure that our forages are as nutritionally complete as possible. We sprayed foliar minerals in 2023, but the K and carbon deficiencies likely limited plant development. 

     As part of our ongoing commitment to growing premium forages, we are upgrading our spraying equipment to ensure we get uniform application of sprays. Our new sprayer has
markers that assures we do not get skips of overlaps. A GPS vehicle speed sensor, a flowmeter and a computer controlled regulating valve adjusts flow to the nozzles depending on
speed, so the entire field gets a consistent spray density. Improved agitation also keeps biological components in suspension so the tank mix is always consistent. We spend several
thousand dollars/yr on inputs, and we want to ensure they are applied in a manner that will make them most effective. 

     We talked about regenerative AG as a step forward in crop health and for building soil health. At a soils conference in Cedar Falls, Ia, late in 2023, we had the pleasure of meeting a man who is providing new insights that is already moving beyond Regenerative Ag in many ways. I had seen some podcasts by John Kempf, and was quite impressed by his deep

understanding and unique insights relative to plant health. Since that time, we have been studying John’s published works. John’s view is that healthy plants build good soil! The driving force of all plant life is photosynthesis. What John sees is that plants vary greatly in their photosynthesis. Optimized plants may produce 3-4 times are much sugar as what we consider to be a healthy plant. These sugars drive plant development. Earlier I mentioned that plants trade with soil microbes, with the coin of the realm being sugar! Plants feed excess sugar to the microbes that multiply and grow. Microbes are the primary source of carbon and nitrogen in the soil. This process can add tremendous amounts of organic matter to soils, even in a single growing season. Total organic matter in soils where plants are operating at full photosynthesis levels have shown increases over 1%/yr. This is pretty amazing when you consider that many soils only have 2% organic matter!
     Going further down the rabbit hole, John presents very compelling evidence from different researchers that show that soil microbes actually enter the root tip of plants, pretty much whole. Once inside the plant, they are partially digested, and then expelled with exudates (sugars) through root hair tips, where many survive and seem to be in the service of the plant. These microbes then act as curriers for the plant. John’s perspective is the plant farms microbes, like people farm livestock. Very interesting perspective with significant ramifications. By providing the right microbes that specialize in specific nutrients, a plant could be very effective in getting what it needs, with little fertilizer input. This mechanism is called the Rhizophagy process for those wanting more information. The microbes that are fed to the root tips are called endophytes. By applying the right endophytes in a foliar spray, or with seed treatment, plant output might jump substantially. 

    We have included a link to John’s podcasts and webinars under the resources heading on the opening page of our website. John had extensive experience as a consultant and had
developed a wide array of foliar treatments that address both biological amendments, and trace mineral deficiencies. Based on our study we are pleased to announce that we have partnered with John’s organization, Advancing Eco Agriculture, to provide our nutrients for 2024. They used our 2023 testing to develop a prescription for the 2024 growing season. We will be doing Sap testing every couple weeks to better understand our plant needs and will use this to adjust prescriptions to ensure optimum plant health. We are quite excited to be working with such an advanced organization. It’s going to be fun to see just what we can do with the UP soils and growing conditions. From what I can see, I think this might be quite a lot!

     We plan on seeding down our lower field to trefoil and orchard grass for an additional 6 acres of forage. We will also do this as a late summer seeding. This soil does not hold nutrients well with low clay content and low cation exchange capacity. Foliar sprays might be perfect for this area, provided we can get roots down to the water table. We plan on testing hay from other sources in the Baraga county area to better understand differences and to create a baseline. 

Another ten acres of sainfoin will also be planted in the west field, also as a late summer seeding. We may test  endophyte coatings on the seed to see if this helps. Also  considering an orchard grass mix since some of this area may be a little wet for sainfoin.