Reach into the farmer’s toolbox to learn how agronomic recording keeping can be a tool not a chore. As Farm Journal Associate Field Agronomist Missy Bauer says in episode 8 of Corn College TV, it’s a challenge but it’s very important.
“There are both high-tech and low-tech ways to keep good agronomic records,” Bauer says. “It can be as simple as keeping your pocket notepad. And then some farmers have started using handheld PDAs and field computers.”
Collecting data at planting isn’t limited to hybrids. Today’s planter monitors track hybrids, population, and planter settings such as down pressure.
“Having good records can help with even simple things like where to what which hybrid,” she says. “For one farmer, he was not paying attention and in corn-on-corn he planted the same hybrid in back to back years. This resulted in a 10 to 15 bu. penalty.”
At end of the season, yield maps can serve as the piece of information to bring it all together.
And to help agronomic record keeping be part of your farming operation, get everyone on board to help in the process.
