By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. The Chickens Have Come Home To Roost This is an article about options. There will be short introduction to the problem and the causes behind the problem, but the emphasis will be on solutions. Solutions require management and inputs. Inputs have generic and brand names and companies that deal with […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. As a sustainable/organic agronomist, one of the most disheartening types of calls I receive on a regular basis are the ones that proceed as follows. “Hi, this farmer Joe Smith, I’m having problems with weeds/insects/low yield etc. on my soybeans. Of course I should expect lower yields, since I went organic […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. The first issue to get out of the way is that the author is not anti-organic agriculture in its broadest definition. I raised my children on a certified organic farm, have sold semi after semi of organic fertilizer commodities and blends and continue to work with organic growers on several continents. The […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. First, a discussion of the issues involved. Since potassium silicate is composed of natural elements, the issue of being a synthetic, carbon based, toxic material similar to a pesticide is a non-issue. The next issue is that of being “manufactured”, thereby consuming “energy” in its creation. This is a philosophical […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. Most conventional farmers concern themselves with N-P-K but don’t realize the phosphate (P) on their farm is not very available to the growing plant and, except in obvious shortages, potassium (K) is usually more than adequate. Almost all of the soil tests that come through our lab from around the […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. That is one of the most controversial questions you can ask. One paradigm would have you simply stop all inputs, begin a crop rotation and introduce livestock, if possible. Another paradigm would suggest you try to balance all your major and minor minerals within a one or two season time […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. As graziers, the bottom line is pounds of meat produced per acre. Then you can refine that by talking about price for pound for “quality” meat and cost of land, labor inputs, etc. Many growers pride themselves on efficiency and diligence in their choice of breeds, choice of forages, choice […]
GREETINGS: Hope you, your family, your livestock and your crops are surviving the challenging weather. Also hope you had crop insurance if needed. This season has certainly reminded me of the importance of supporting your crop at every stage possible. Current commodity prices should allow you to put a little more in to get a […]
GROWING PROBLEMS: In spite of our best practices we can still be challenged by Weeds, Insects, Diseases and Conditions. I will address each of these and give you some ideas that may help you avoid or deal with them. These problems can be worsened by rising carbon dioxide levels that can cause a major change in […]
By Philip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. One of the main problems with factory farm production is how to keep the animals or fowl healthy [or at least alive till slaughter] in spite of all the factors that would make it unhealthy. The decision to use both sub-therapeutic and therapeutic drugs has allowed factory farming to survive, but […]
