The Haney and PLFA soil testing indicated the nutrients Hedrick needed to grow 425-bushel corn and, while the traditional soil tests indicated a lesser nutrient need, Hedrick says that knowing the “real” numbers needed is what allowed him to achieve 400+ bushel corn.
“A lot of the traditional tests are giving false reads and higher or lower nutrient availability numbers; we’ve seen it firsthand. We apply what a test calls for and then our plant tissue tests show deficient. The hot water extraction that Regen Ag Labs offers for some micronutrients and the Haney Soil Test extraction method gives us a lot better read and let’s us dial in what our yield goals are and what is needed to reach those goals. We’re pushing these crops and we have to have accurate numbers to work from,” Hedrick says. “For example, one of the traditional tests I used showed that I had enough Boron available, the hot water extracted Boron test showed we would fall short based upon our yield goal.”
Actual applied nutrients totaled 310 pounds of applied nitrogen, 140 pounds of phosphorus, 40 pounds of potassium and 100 pounds of sulfur. Hedrick also applied boron, zinc, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, humic acid, fulvic acid, and sugars in a precision application.
Hedrick used a full-flex corn variety, planting a full-season 116-day variety, AgVenture 9916 and tested different populations throughout his farms, from 32,000 to the 45,900 plants per acre that achieved the record-breaking yield.
“I think a lot of the success of our farm has been from the farmers and friends across the country who have invested their time and knowledge with me. Our group of farmers share their information with each other to push each other to minimize failures, or as Rick Clark calls them - Learning Opportunities,” Hedrick says.
“We at Soil Regen are focused on implementing farming practices that aren’t solely focused on yield and are intent on return on investment. The field days, conferences, and webinars that we produce across the country allow us the opportunity to learn and share how others are changing the farming techniques and utilizing new technologies that aren’t in mainstream agriculture. I have focused on these avenues, especially soil health, and the yield has steadily followed. For any farmer, return on investment…dollars per acre rather than yield per acre…should be the goal. This year, my cost per acre were a little under $1000 and my net per acre on $8.50 corn was well over three grand an acre.”
To learn more about Hedrick’s road to 459-bushel per acre corn and the soil health journey that has paved, make plans to visit this year’s Big Soil Health Event, December 6-7, 2022 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
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About Soil Regen
We are a farmer first company focused on providing farmers, ranchers, and the food and agricultural community education, Regeneratively Grown grain, and Regenerative Verified products. Our farm to table consumer goods are grown using Regen Verified processes that validate healthier soils produce healthier foods. Each one of us rebels against the "farm the farmer" mentality and is dedicated to providing the resources farmers need to be profitable all the while improving the land. Learn more at agsoilregen.com.
