Ben Heley Lehman
@ben-heley-lehman.bsky.social
Organic grain
Central Iowa
Central Iowa
6 row weed flamer, 12 propane torches burning 7.5 gallons per acre
July 5, 2025 at 2:37 AM
6 row weed flamer, 12 propane torches burning 7.5 gallons per acre
Rotary hoeing corn. Goal is to kill the "white thread" stage weeds without killing the corn
June 15, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Rotary hoeing corn. Goal is to kill the "white thread" stage weeds without killing the corn
Soybeans emerging through cereal rye #covercrop residue
June 15, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Soybeans emerging through cereal rye #covercrop residue
I got to visit a farm with the same planter model, but modified for squash! They took off the seed boxes to make room for seats, with workers dropping seeds one by one. Similar cereal rye #covercrop for weed control
June 3, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I got to visit a farm with the same planter model, but modified for squash! They took off the seed boxes to make room for seats, with workers dropping seeds one by one. Similar cereal rye #covercrop for weed control
Soybeans are planted and rye is crimped, feel very happy with how it looks for now
May 31, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Soybeans are planted and rye is crimped, feel very happy with how it looks for now
Planting soybeans into a cereal rye cover crop
May 30, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Planting soybeans into a cereal rye cover crop
Cereal rye cover crop almost hides the planter
May 28, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Cereal rye cover crop almost hides the planter
In eastern Nebraska, farmers I work with prefer triticale cover crops instead of rye for weed control. With thick triticale like this I can see why!
May 26, 2025 at 11:51 AM
In eastern Nebraska, farmers I work with prefer triticale cover crops instead of rye for weed control. With thick triticale like this I can see why!
5' tall cereal rye cover crop blowing in 30 mph gusts. We'll be planting soy into this field in a week
May 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
5' tall cereal rye cover crop blowing in 30 mph gusts. We'll be planting soy into this field in a week
Cereal rye #covercrop is 4 to 5 feet tall now. Waiting for pollen tubes to form before we plant soybeans and roller crimp the rye
May 10, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Cereal rye #covercrop is 4 to 5 feet tall now. Waiting for pollen tubes to form before we plant soybeans and roller crimp the rye
Red clover #covercrop, with and without a wide sweep chisel plow pass
May 3, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Red clover #covercrop, with and without a wide sweep chisel plow pass
Oats for grain last year, seeded with a red clover #covercrop. We'll chisel plow the clover in a week to get ready for corn. More platey than I'd like but nice aggregates
April 29, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Oats for grain last year, seeded with a red clover #covercrop. We'll chisel plow the clover in a week to get ready for corn. More platey than I'd like but nice aggregates
Grazed vs non-grazed cereal rye #covercrop at the Midwest Organic Center. This is year 2 of their Diverse Systems Trial to compare the value of applied #manure vs #grazing for long-term #soil quality
April 24, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Grazed vs non-grazed cereal rye #covercrop at the Midwest Organic Center. This is year 2 of their Diverse Systems Trial to compare the value of applied #manure vs #grazing for long-term #soil quality
Fascinating letter from Vital Farms today. I assumed pastured hens would be more vulnerable to #HPAI due to more exposure to wild birds. Is this just luck/geography or is immune health actually reducing initial infections?
April 17, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Fascinating letter from Vital Farms today. I assumed pastured hens would be more vulnerable to #HPAI due to more exposure to wild birds. Is this just luck/geography or is immune health actually reducing initial infections?
Oats are up, but a bit sporadic! Could use a good rain to get the rest up and growing
April 17, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Oats are up, but a bit sporadic! Could use a good rain to get the rest up and growing
In 2024 this field had oats harvested for grain and a red clover cover crop. Very dry, ready for manure and chisel plow?
April 17, 2025 at 3:03 AM
In 2024 this field had oats harvested for grain and a red clover cover crop. Very dry, ready for manure and chisel plow?
This field had a rye cover crop seeded in fall 2023. No-till planted soy in 2024, rolled down the 5' tall rye the day after. Rye mat is still there and holding moisture! Soil is a bit plate-y but I'm happy with it
April 17, 2025 at 1:45 AM
This field had a rye cover crop seeded in fall 2023. No-till planted soy in 2024, rolled down the 5' tall rye the day after. Rye mat is still there and holding moisture! Soil is a bit plate-y but I'm happy with it
Reposted by Ben Heley Lehman
Rhizophagy and quorum sensing are fascinating soil processes, but do they matter for crop management?
My latest post examines the evidence, looking for field relevance to determine whether these are hype or helpful...
csanr.wsu.edu/rhizophagy-a...
My latest post examines the evidence, looking for field relevance to determine whether these are hype or helpful...
csanr.wsu.edu/rhizophagy-a...
Rhizophagy and Quorum Sensing: Don’t Fall for the Merely Fascinating
If you’ve heard of rhizophagy or quorum sensing, it’s probably because of regenerative agriculture. The movement has popularized these soil processes through videos, articles, social media influencers...
csanr.wsu.edu
April 15, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Rhizophagy and quorum sensing are fascinating soil processes, but do they matter for crop management?
My latest post examines the evidence, looking for field relevance to determine whether these are hype or helpful...
csanr.wsu.edu/rhizophagy-a...
My latest post examines the evidence, looking for field relevance to determine whether these are hype or helpful...
csanr.wsu.edu/rhizophagy-a...
Planted soybeans into a rye cover crop in 2024. We still have a thick rye mat and some volunteer rye. I'll let the rye grow more before manure application, tillage, and corn planting later this spring
April 12, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Planted soybeans into a rye cover crop in 2024. We still have a thick rye mat and some volunteer rye. I'll let the rye grow more before manure application, tillage, and corn planting later this spring
Fusarium head blight in #oats was a real issue in 2024 in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The big question is, was 2024 a fluke or something we should prep for? blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2025/01/fusa...
Fusarium head blight in oats
Fusarium head blight in oat. Photo: Jafar Razzaghian (NIBIO) Yes, that is correct. Generally, when we hear about Fusarium head blight (scab...
blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu
April 12, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Fusarium head blight in #oats was a real issue in 2024 in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The big question is, was 2024 a fluke or something we should prep for? blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2025/01/fusa...
The first oats are out of the ground! Most waiting for a good rain. Lots of corn residue to fight through
April 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The first oats are out of the ground! Most waiting for a good rain. Lots of corn residue to fight through