It all starts with a seed.

These aren't the seeds my grandfather planted 50 years ago.  Our seeds today are packed with improved genetics and technology.    All of our corn is Round Up Ready corn.  Geneticists have mapped the DNA of corn and figured out what naturally occuring genes in the corn allowed some corn to live after being sprayed with round up.  After this finding they were able to increase this naturally occuring gene by stimulating the part of the DNA to make all the plants resistant to round up in Round Up Ready varieities.  The benefit to Round Up Corn is we are able to use much less atrazine and other chemicals that when over used can end up in ground water.  Round Up Herbicide is very safe for the environment. 

The green kernels are BT corn and the Purple are Non BT "refuge" seeds.  These are mixed in at about 10% of the total mix so the beneficial insects have food to eat.  The BT corn is designed to increase the expression of naturally occuring plant chemicals to ward off pests like the corn borer and root worms that can have devestating effects on a corn crop with heavy infestation.  This self defense mechanism helps us reduce the amount of pesticides we have to apply on the corn crop, and allows us to select much less harmful chemistries for the environment, in the products we do have to apply to the crop.  

Our no-till planter is designed to disturb very little top soil.  The row sweeps clear a narrow path for the no-till coulter and double disc openers to put the corn in the ground.  This greatly reduces soil erosion and leaves the organic matter to hold water in the soil for the crop during the hot and dry summer months.

The corn is planted at about a 2 inch depth.  The boys love digging the seed up!

Spring time is a beautiful time on the farm.  As we plant the crops and watch them emerge in rows, the new growing season offers new life and hopes of a bountiful harvest for this year.