Re: Question on maize growing IA Gary

Posted by RodInNS on May 31, 2007 at 13:53:34 from (24.224.246.156):

In Reply to: Re: Question on maize growing IA Gary posted by Gerald J. on May 31, 2007 at 10:58:05:

To be honest, I'm not sure exactly how the heat units are calculated. This is Ontario Corn Heat Units I talking, to be specific. Mabey somebody can tell exactly how it's calculated.... but I think it's got to do with daily min/max temperatures for days that are over 10 degrees C, or something to that effect.
I know that without plastic, it's only some years that we can bring the very very shortest season varieties to an acceptable maturity for silage. Forget about high moisture or dry corn. It just doesn't happen.... although with the right variety high moisture could be done under plastic.

On the other side, we're not looking at commidity corn production. This is strictly for silage on our own operations, and it's all about milk. The way we look at it is that if that 175 of plastic will give us about 1/3 more crop of higher quality on the same inputs, it's going to pay for itself. I wouldn't argue your figures for inputs. Seed is about the same here. Fertilizer is about the same, as are the herbicides.... although our prices for both are no doubt a good deal higher than you pay. Roundup is a lot higher here, and we can't seem to get ahead of them on it. Fert is around 450/tonne for 25-25-0 that we use.... but that's all that goes on at 200# per, along with a good blast of manure.
We also save a pass on the pre-emerge since it's done by the planter, so there's a few bucks there.
The big thing with this system is that we're getting corn in the ground 3 weeks to a month earlier than we could under normal conditions, and using land that is generally considered marginal under any other circumstance because of the heat we get. Following that thought.... rent here is non-existant. We have land coming out the ying yang; given to us to keep the spruce bushes back.... Where rent is paid, 20 bucks is a huge figure; 5-10 is more common. So there's most of the price of the plastic for you right there....

It's pretty much a no-brainer here once you get past the idea of spending all that money on plastic. When you can drive out of the fog on the Avalon of Newfoundland.... the fog capital of North America, and see a field of corn coming to maturity, it's also hard to argue the results....

Rod

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