We at Nelson Family Farms love our family and our farm, so we are happy to share some of the memories with you. Please look through our photo gallery to see what is happening.

	FALL 2010

	Two-Three times a year we go up flying with our landlords to inspect the crops. See the damage left from so much water this last summer.		This fall we seeded 60 acres of Winter Ryegrass cover crop. This will give us a good trial as to the benefits of a cover crop This is when Storm Aerial Application of Webster City was loading the Ryegrass into the airplane for seeding.

	The plane holds approximately 40 bushels of seed. The same compartment that holds liquid chemicals is also the compartment for dry products.		The grass seed is spread from the bottom of the plane.  It spreads about a 75' pattern.

	The Rye Grass was seeded the first week of September.  By getting the seed on the dirt before the soybean leaves fall, this helps with a better germination.		Within 2 weeks, the ryegrass was well on its way.

	While it appears to be poor weed control, this is actually the winter rye grass cover crop growing.  The beans had just been combined.		Strip tilling into the Ryegrass cover crop.

	We purchased a new combine this fall.  It was the new "toy" for Gary and Dave this fall.		Combining beans on Dirshmidts.  The 35' bean head was also purchased this year.

	Gary in the combine and Karma in the Grain Cart.  Dumping on the go.		Unloading on the go in beans.

	This squirrel thought it would be fun to take a ride on the combine auger.		Karma combining corn.

	Dumping corn at NEW COOP Vincent. The corn this fall averaged 12% Moisture.  VERY DRY.		Dumping corn at vincent.

	Karma combining corn on Smeltz #1.		Fonda running the grain cart on Smeltzer #1.

	Fonda and Karma take turns running the grain cart and the combine.		It was very easy to overfill the semi's this fall due to such dry corn.

	Dumping corn on the go. Karma in the combine and Fonda in the grain cart.		100% of our acres are strip tilled.  This bring many soil health and conservation benefits to our soils and plant life.

	This is another view looking back to the Strip till machine.  The machine is placing in the strip Variable Rate Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.		The strip tillage machine moves the crop residue out of the way, tills the soil in the 8" wide strip, places the fertilizer at 8" deep, then creates a soil berm behind the machine.  Next spring the planter will plant directly on that same strip.  The nutrients are just 6 inches below that seedling and the root mass all next growing season.

	When 100% of the fertilizer is banded right below the seed and where the root mass grows, this allows for better utilization and better take up of the fertilizer by the corn/soybean seed.		Since we variable rate spread the fertilizer, we must use concentrated product, not a BLEND.  Therefore we put the Phosphorus (P) in the right bin, Potassium (K) in the left bin, and then the N is coming from the Anhydrous tank pulled behind.

	Dave and Gary filling the Montag Fertilizer Cart.  We haul fertilizer to the field in our the refurbished tender that we built.		We have to go to the Elevator to get the fertilizer with our tender truck.

	Dave does most of the strip tilling, but every once in awhile, Gary gets to drive.		Our tractor is steered automatically with an AG Leader/Trimble controller.  RTK is our level of accuracy, never putting us more than 1" off from year to year.

	Our tender has 2 compartments (Front/Rear).  This allows us to transport the 2 fertilizers (P&K) separate to the field.		This fall we custom strip tilled about 400 acres for other people to experience strip tillage on their farm.  We also donated 100 acres of our strip tilling to the IOWA CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE Ag Program. This is Dave and Gary with Mike Robertson (middle), the Ag Program Coordinator.

	Even our corn stalks are strip tilled for next years crop.  Notice the pure black strip of soil that we will plant into next year.		The one HUGE advantage to strip tilled corn stalks is that next years seed does not have to compete with the buried residue.  The best way to break down residue is to let mother nature break it down naturally.  Question:  Where does a wooden fencepost rot off first?  Below the ground or at ground level?  (ANSWER: At ground level)

	Thank you for your interest in Nelson Family Farms. If we can help you in any way, please call or stop by. Visitors are always welcome.

		Nelson Family Farms Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 Phone: 515-574-9519 :: Email: dave.nelson@nelsonff.com