From Washington State

[dkh2]

dkh2 here
From Southern Washington State
2nd year growing Tobacco
I grew 5 plants last year of Green Brior Burley
I have 47 plants in the ground now with more to go as soon as they get bigger.
Virginia Gold,Virginia Bright Leaf, Silk Leaf, Burley 21, Green Brior Burley, for me and
Little Yellow and One Sucker for my brother

 

[bakedone]

I live in central washington state and I was wondering if you have any suggestions in growing in the soil especially with volcanic ash 1' to 6" inches under the ground.

 

[dkh2]

I've been adding compost and cow and horse manure to my growing area for a few years now.
I got a soil test done and it called for sulfur to be added.

Go Figure

The ash has basically been assimilated into the soil after all it's been 31 years

So the best thing you can do is get a soil test done there pretty cheap

(Edit)
I would roto-till the hell out of your area so the ash is mixed in good and not in one layer and then
do the soil test. This is the results from my test before last years growing season notice
the column for Sulfur

The Sulfur is only at 15

 

[BigBonner]

bakedone

If you can grow tomatoes there you can grow tobacco .

With Dans soil sample it calls for no K20 ( potash ) .I have to add about 400 pounds of potash per acre every year for my comericial tobacco crop .

This make me wonder if the volcanic ash may be simular to my potash K20 .

 

[bakedone]

dkh2
Thank yo for the info. I have only ever tried to grow tobacco one time and it was in a plastic bottle with compost but that was years ago and it only got to 1.5 feet before I had to get rid of it. I know that some plants grow in my soil just fine but others actually need the soil ph changed allot. So thank you for the info.

 

[bakedone]

BigBonner

That helps allot. I can get the tomatoes to really grow good in my soil so hopefully the tobacco, which ever I finally choose to try will do the same. Do the tomatoes and tobacco take the same basic nutrients or care?

 

[BarG]

Rotateing crops

Speaking of tomatoes and tobacco plants, I like to alternate or rotate my crops with veggies. Does any one know a good rotation in relation to veggies and tobacco plants?

 

[BigBonner]

Bakedone

Yes tobacco and tomatoes grow good together and same soil type .

BarG

In comericial grown tobacco we are supposed to raise tobacco two years in the same field then rotate to hay for two years then back to tobacco .

I have seen some farmers with limited bottom land keep planting for several years . The only problem with raising in the same tobacco patch is disease . Black shank is the worst .

 

[BarG]

My neighbor has been buying your hay I'll bet, been getting it shipped from up north for his horses. Is that any thing to do with letting a hay field go 2 yrs. before harvest to get high quality coastal hay?

 

[FmGrowit]

It depends on which "hay" you're making. New clover fields can be cut a couple of months after planting if planted in early spring. First year clover shouldn't be cut until about 50% of the field is in bloom. Second cutting should be any time after 25% bloom or before Sept. 1. Alfalfa should be planted in early fall and then you can cut it in May the next year.

A lot of this depends on field preparation though. If this is a new field that was plowed, you might not be able to get on the field until later in both cases. I remember putting in an alfalfa field in spring and not being able to get on it until the next year. We hogged off the old growth as soon as we could and made the first hay in May. There was a little bit of dead stems in the hay, but it was still good. The third cutting was the best.

 

[BigBonner]

BarG

When I plant after tobacco . I will sew wheat in the fall and Alfalfa in the spring . I drill it into the wheat . Unless I get my crop in early in the fall (Best) Then I will sew wheat then add the Alfalfa with it . This makes the better hay in the spring . The second and thrid cutting of Alfalfa gets better .The wheat will insulate the new alfalfa seedlings over the winter months .

The main reason for planting Alfalfa or Red Clover , they will build up the soil . Then after going back to tobacco I will not have to use as much nitrate as usual . The soil will be looser And easier to prepare for planting. Legumes will break up the soil and roots will grow deep down and sometimes bust up the hard pan below .

Soybeans will also help with hard and low productive soil .

There has been alot of hay from Kentucky going to Texas and other states that had a drought . I noticed a while back that some farmers from TX and other states , were wanting several tractor trailor loads of hay delivered .I have also seen alot of southern cattle show up at markets here , mostly head cows . Seems to me some are doing what farmers were doing here in 2010 .There was little to no hay and grass was brown and little to none . Farmers are now trying to replace the cows that they had to sell .

On my farm my beef is organic . I have no problems with sick cattle . I sell at the stock yards to buyers @ around 475 to 650 pounds ,Then they will shoot them with all kinds of vacines . I should start selling organic beef . Everybody is wanting organic now days . My tobacco is organic for what I sell to people other than Big Tobacco . I do use chemicals on their tobacco in low amounts , My test come back everytime clean .

 

[indianjoe]

I have hay fields as well and have been bugged to death about hay this year. A lady from Texas was here a couple of weeks ago wanting hay. Cows have been selling great here and I expect the prices to just rise as spring grass grows.
Bigbonner organic beef demands a great price here. You should look into it.

 

[BigBonner]

Indianjoe

Pound Cows was selling @.75c to .85c a pound here a few months back they have dropped about .20c
Calves have dropped some but steady 450 lbs @ $1.06 to $1.45 a pound with buyers being a little more selective .

I only have 48 cows right now on the account of the droughts we have been having . I have run as high as 75 cows plus their calves at good times .
I have been looking for First calf heffers , they are too high to buy . It would take three years to pay for themselves . @ $1525 to $1700 . I prefer the $1100 ones

I need to find a market to sell organic feeder calves to @ 600 lbs

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Fresh frozen beef sells great over the internet too, with less desirable parts being ground up and tubed for raw pet food.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

A lot of Amish around here sell organic grass fed beef. They get something like 2.00-3.00 per pound (hanging weight). Check out Joel Salatin and his system. Real nice guy!