October Small Grains News
Happy Friday,

Hope everyone's getting back into the field now the rain has finally stopped! I've heard from several of you that you're worried about your planting date for winter small grains because of this delay in soybean harvest. Remember to up your seeding rate to compensate for the late planting date and apply some fertilizer this fall! The link to the full blog on this topic appears below.

I sent the first round of agreements out for 2019 small grains cost share this morning. If you believe you applied but didn't get an agreement follow up with me and we'll figure out what's going on. Haven't signed up yet? Find instructions on how to sign up here.

Good Luck Harvesting!
Alisha
Cost Share Acres for 2019 are Going Fast!
Forty three farmers have submitted requests for over 3,400 acres of cost share for small grains harvested in 2019 and a following cover crop that includes legume species. For details on the cost share eligibility and program requirements refer to this flyer.

In order to stake your claim to acres before they're gone, submit your inquiry via this link.
Late Seeding for Winter Small Grains
Optimum seeding date for winter small grains like cereal rye, winter wheat and triticale is around October 1 in the northern corn belt. But this year many soybeans were still in the field on October 1 -- how much yield are you losing by planting late? What are the best practices to mitigate the late planting date? You can read the full blog on this topic, but here are the quick notes:

  1. If it's planted by November 1, you'll still be at 70% or better yield potential - after November 1 yield potential drops to 50% quickly
  2. If you haven't planted yet, you should increase your seeding rate to 120 lbs/acre or 1.8 million seeds for winter wheat or 25 plants per square foot for other winter small grains
  3. Apply 20-40 lbs of N and 20 lbs of P before or at planting
From the Archives: Planting Winter Small Grains
Last October, Paul Mugge and Dick Sloan discussed their playbook for planting high yielding winter triticale, rye and barley on our October shared learning call. Here are some key take-aways to keep in mind as you are planting this fall:

Dick - " Pay attention to whether the combine is catching residue and dropping it off the back – these clumps of residue can prevent seed from reaching the soil and result in an uneven stand of rye (or any other small grain)."

Paul - "I plant about 100-110 pound/acre of triticale. In my  triticale seeding rate trial in 2016 I found no significant difference between an 85 lb/acre and a 135 lb/acre seeding rate, so I'm going with a lower seeding rate to maximize my return on investment."
EVENTS
November shared learning call is cancelled - harvest will still be underway
IN THE FIELD
Winter Small Grain Variety Selection
Still unsure which small grain is right for you? Here are some resources:
Planting Winter Small Grains
Though it's a busy time of the year during harvest, don't forget to plan for a precise plant population, calibrate your drill and prepare your seed bed for establishing a good stand of your winter small grain.
Looking for more? Contact us today!
Alisha Bower
Strategic Initiatives Manager
(515) 232-5661
Sarah Carlson
Strategic Initiatives Director
(515) 232-5661