Great Plains Grain Drill
Year Funded
Amount
$16,500
Website
The 2014 farm bill and the shortage of good quality coastal hay for cattle has increased the interest in cover crops in the past 12 months. The 2015 trails were small plot trials due to the fact that most plots were seeded by hand. Because tobacco is conventional tilled crop, it is important to be able to get a cover crop on after the tobacco stalks are turned under. Also, fall seeding into pastures gives grazing opportunities for cattle throughout the winder, reducing hay usage. A 6 ft Grain Drill with small seed attachment would allow us to use the large plots with more realistic method of planting. The information grained from these trials will help growers determine what mixes work best in in our area for cover and grazing, the cost of these mixes, and what time of year they can be planted to produce a viable cover crop.