The alfalfa has experienced tremendous growth due to the persistent rains this summer. WinField United Alfalfa and Forage Specialist Jeff Jackson says there are dairy operations that are already on the third cutting of green chop or silage. “When we get into these guys trying to do dry hay and these rain events, in some cases, they want to get their first cutting off, and maybe the second crop is a little struggle; the good thing is the tonnage is going to be good, but then we start questioning quality.” At the Answer Plot Innovation Farm’s tour in the Washburn/Wilton, North Dakota area, Jackson said there are also forage opportunities with lesser-known crops in this region. “We have the ability to do warm-season crops like sorghum and we can roll right into a cool-season crop, like triticale, get that started in the fall like we do our winter barley and winter wheat. There’s a lot of opportunities to have a crop on that acre and not have to sit and look at bare dirt and watch wind blow.” This is the third year of crop research at the Answer Plot Innovation Farm in central North Dakota. The focus is on diverse crops, including wheat, sunflowers, canola, alfalfa, and field peas.
