New York Farm tour
(progressive central New York farms investing in the future, involved in research and testing and implementing new technologies)Tour guides: Shawn Bossard (SUNY Morrisville) and Tom Kilcer (Advanced Ag Systems Research, Education, Consulting)
Windstott Farm - Bill Kilcer, Genoa NY
Windstott Farm is a 110 cow dairy with 200 tillable acres. Bill and his wife invested in two robotic milking systems that were installed in July 2009 as an investment into the future, making use of assets, buildings and land, without having to purchase additional land. The robots have cut labor hours but the farm is still able to manage health and care of additional animals. Their son is employed at a neighboring farm that puts up feed for a dairy. The neighboring farm has grown in size and now Bill hires them to harvest his haylage and corn silage and Bill helps with labor when needed. Bill participated in on-farm research studies that looked at manure application methods, drainage ditches and starter phosphorus fertilizer use and completes an annual nutrient mass balance. He uses a minimum tillage system consisting of deep till, aerway and chain harrow. Spring time manure application is done by a custom operator using a drag line. The farm is managed without P and K fertilizers; manure is used to feed the crops. Bill grows a 92 day corn hybrid so that the harvest gets done early and a cover crop of oats gets established in time. The typical rotation is 3 years alfalfa/grass and 2 years of corn. (http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/impactstatements/WindstottFarms).
Sunnyside Farm Inc. – Greg and Neil Rejman, Genoa NY
The Rejmans house 3500 milking cows and crop 5000 acres. Utilizing their manure to its fullest extent has always been a priority. They also invested in a draghose manure application system. This better retains manure nutrients while eliminating odors and the chance of runoff. They have recently built a methane digester, furthering their use of manure by creating energy, and reducing manure odors where they still land spread. They have also added to their business sustainability by building a mill for corn and other grains, allowing them to guarantee feed quality and reduce feed costs. They participated in on-farm research projects including a recent manure application study and are participating in a statewide potassium study. (http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/impactstatements/Sunnyside.pdf)
Break for lunch at Sunnyside Farm
DumondAg - Todd Du Mond, Union Spring, NY
Du Mond Ag, LLC is a crop farm growing primarily corn and soybeans on 3000 acres. We also operate Du Mond Grain, LLC a soybean roasting enterprise providing a high quality feed for many local dairies. DuMond Ag utilizes many of the newest technologies available to the market to enhance production and efficiency. We compile production data, soil maps, EC and PH layers, site specific soil samples and application layers to develop variable rate prescription layers, for N, P, K, lime, chemicals and seed. The use of these technologies allows us to take input dollars away from areas that have a low probability of producing a high economical return and put them in areas that are very likely to produce strong profits. We are now able to manage our resources very accurately and efficiently.