Ohio Farm Tours

[BC Buck]

thanks so much! Absolutely slow and steady is key to any drill - imo. The biggest reason, imo, why these arms bend is because of the below. This is the gap. That metal ought to sit flush not have a gap. I forgot I also upgraded all the pins. Because of slop even some of those were warped.

Mostly. I’m just having fun trying upgrades and sharing with folks. It’s certainly custom now lol.
View attachment 91228

Saw something on Utube. They have Chines Tar River knock off on Amazon that weighs 500LB. The guy said getting replacement parts was tuff. I got a good laugh.

 

[Buckhunter10]

Saw something on Utube. They have Chines Tar River knock off on Amazon that weighs 500LB. The guy said getting replacement parts was tuff. I got a good laugh.

Oh geeze - ya that is a tough spot to be in for sure.

 

[Buckhunter10]

 

[Buckhunter10]

Vitalize EDU: What Potassium Is (and Isn’t) Doing in Your Soil

Potassium (K) is often abundant in soil, but not always available. Sounds similar to P doesn’t it? Let’s dive in!

Research, including work by Dr. Rick Mulvaney (University of Illinois), shows soils can hold far more K than standard tests indicate. The issue is availability, not just supply.

K can be:
• Tied up in minerals
• Held on the soil colloid
• Temporarily unavailable

pH plays a role.
In acidic soils, K availability can be reduced through interactions with iron and aluminum.

Cover crops help:
•Cycle K into plant-available forms
•Improve soil structure and porosity
•Access nutrients from areas roots couldn’t previously reach

In the plant, K supports:
•Water regulation
•Drought tolerance
•Nutrient and sugar movement
•Overall plant strength

K also plays a role in soil balance on the colloid alongside Ca and Mg.

I like placing K near or at planting to improve early uptake.

But balance matters.

Too much K can:
• Compete with Ca and Mg
• In extreme cases, interfere with other nutrients

Bottom line:
Potassium is critical, but availability and balance matter more than total levels.

 

[BC Buck]

I quit worrying about lime and fertilizer input in 2016. Been using LC rotation of brassica's and oats, rye, red clover. Beans and corn gets expensive.

 

[Buckhunter10]

I quit worrying about lime and fertilizer input in 2016. Been using LC rotation of brassica's and oats, rye, red clover. Beans and corn gets expensive.

Yea I haven’t used synthetic fertilizers in many years- many fields haven’t seen organic fertilizers either. I do lime and think it’s well worth time and money to do so.

I do work with a lot of farmers and such so I like to write to educate if/where I can on all things soils.

In many cases - one will find the growers are often better with less (or in your case none) in the right spot that blindly applying nutrients. The antagonisms can cause more issues when folks blanket apply.

I really appreciate you following and commenting!

Have a great day!

 

[BC Buck]

Yea I haven’t used synthetic fertilizers in many years- many fields haven’t seen organic fertilizers either. I do lime and think it’s well worth time and money to do so.

I do work with a lot of farmers and such so I like to write to educate if/where I can on all things soils.

In many cases - one will find the growers are often better with less (or in your case none) in the right spot that blindly applying nutrients. The antagonisms can cause more issues when folks blanket apply.

I really appreciate you following and commenting!

Have a great day!

You keep a great post going. Dr Grant has great info on organic planting using a notill method building soil in poor area. I dont plant enough acres every year to justify a notill planter.

 

[Buckhunter10]

You keep a great post going. Dr Grant has great info on organic planting using a notill method building soil in poor area. I dont plant enough acres every year to justify a notill planter.

Thank you much, sir. Yeah, the no-till drill game is a tough one. Honestly, I was doing 10 acres x2 a year and still didnt get a not till, until I got up to 15 acres x2 a year with plans to expand. I still do a good bit via broadcast/spray/mow/etc.

 

[Buckhunter10]

Vitalize EDU: What Calcium Is (and Isn’t) Doing in Your Soil

Calcium (Ca) is one of the most important nutrients for understanding soil function.

It’s not just about how much calcium you have.

It’s about how it sits on the soil colloid.

This is where base saturation comes in.

Calcium, magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) all compete for space on the soil colloid.

The balance between them drives how your soil behaves.

Calcium plays a major role in soil structure.

It helps:

• Flocculate soil particles
• Improve aggregation
• Increase porosity and water infiltration
• Support deeper root penetration

When calcium saturation is in a good place, soil porosity improves.

This allows water to move more freely, which improves microbial activity and distribution.

As biology functions better, it helps drive nutrient cycling and availability, including P and K.

But more is not always better.

In some soils, excess calcium can interact with carbonates and other elements, contributing to hardening or cementation.

Too much porosity can also reduce water holding capacity in lighter soils.

In the plant, calcium is critical for:

• Cell wall development
• Structural integrity
• Root growth and tip development

Calcium is relatively immobile in the plant, so consistent availability matters.

It is primarily taken up through the roots, but foliar applications can help target specific deficiencies since calcium does not translocate well within the plant.

Back to balance.

Calcium is antagonistic with:

• Magnesium (Mg)
• Potassium (K)

Too much of one can limit the availability of the others.

That’s why base saturation and ratios matter more than just total levels.

Bottom line:

Calcium supports soil structure, which drives water movement, biological function, and plant performance when in balance.

 

[Buckhunter10]

Vitalize EDU: What Magnesium Is (and Isn’t) Doing in Your Soil

Magnesium (Mg) is often overlooked, but it plays a critical role in both soil and plant function.

Like calcium, magnesium sits on the soil colloid.

It’s part of base saturation alongside:

• Calcium (Ca)
• Potassium (K)

Balance between these drives how your soil behaves.

Magnesium influences soil structure, but differently than calcium.

• Calcium helps loosen and aggregate soil
• Magnesium tends to create denser, tighter soil structure compared to calcium

Too much Mg can:

• Reduce porosity
• Slow water infiltration
• Create heavier, tighter soils

But too little Mg isn’t good either.

In the plant, magnesium is essential for:

• Photosynthesis (chlorophyll production)
• Energy transfer
• Enzyme activation

Energy transfer is how the plant captures and uses energy to grow, and magnesium is central to that process.

No magnesium = reduced photosynthesis and plant energy.

This is where understanding CEC matters.

CEC helps define how nutrients like Ca, Mg, and K are held and balanced on the soil colloid.

Targets should align with your goals:

• Tillage vs. no-till
• Irrigated vs. non-irrigated
• Soil type and structure

Back to balance.

Magnesium is antagonistic with:

• Calcium (Ca)
• Potassium (K)

Too much Mg can limit Ca uptake and tighten soils.

Too little Mg can limit plant function.

This even applies to foliars.

Magnesium is mobile in the plant, so foliar applications can help correct deficiencies more systemically.

Calcium is not, so consistent root uptake is critical, with foliar Ca being more situational.

That’s why we don’t chase magnesium or calcium blindly.

I often hear, “I just apply gypsum, it’s great.”

But without understanding your base saturation, you could be reducing magnesium availability and impacting photosynthesis efficiency in the plant.

We look at:

• Base saturation
• CEC and soil type
• Plant response

Understanding this, along with the previous posts, helps bring soil chemistry into balance, leading to better lime decisions, smarter foliar choices, and improved results, whether that’s yield or forage quality for wildlife.