CRP- Mid Contract Management question

[IowaBowHunter1983]

For those that have done this.... What documentation as far as expenses are you expected to provide for burning?

The letter I received states I am to provide receipts for labor, equipment, etc...

What do you guys do to get the maximum payment?

thanks

 

[Daver]

I had selected the "spraying" option, and as it turns out I had Paul Knox do the spraying for me and he just invoiced me accordingly. I am not sure what to say about the burning option...other than it sounds like fun.

 

[Jdubs]

Daver, when you choose the spraying option what is protocol? Are you cutting first then spraying, or just applying the chems. Secondly, what chemicals do you use? Thanks

 

[Tim Hull]

I just did some mid-contract work last year. I included that I used 4 people, an atv, a lighter, shovels and rakes and the number of hours it took to complete the work. You can just write it on a piece of paper and sign it at the Office.

 

[Daver]

Daver, when you choose the spraying option what is protocol? Are you cutting first then spraying, or just applying the chems. Secondly, what chemicals do you use? Thanks

Caveat...I am working from memory here, so take it FWIW. FYI, I did MCM work in years 1, 3 and 5 of my current contract. My last MCM activity(year 5) was about 3-4 years ago now. Although in theory, each of my three MCM actions should have been identical, there were some variations.

I had enough volunteer trees in the fields that I remember Paul getting his sprayer boogered up as he inevitably ran into some of them. That led to him spot mowing to eliminate the snaggy little trees in various places. Otherwise, we did not mow off the brome prior to spraying. I also did burn a few spots prior to spraying later in the spring too. I kind of made up that hybrid/combo(burn and spray) approach myself.

I believe it was a "1/2 strength" glyphosphate solution that was sprayed. The idea was to kill off some, or even a lot, of the brome...but not to nuke it all. This did work as anticipated and there is now quite a bit more diversity of plant life in what was previously a solid stand of brome.

I will also say that I can tell where the older, years 1 and 3, sprayings were done, as the brome starts to dominate again after a few years of being left alone. So I do some non-prescribed MCM of my own each year too to keep the diversity up and the brome down...and also keep the volunteer trees at bay.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

I just did some mid-contract work last year. I included that I used 4 people, an atv, a lighter, shovels and rakes and the number of hours it took to complete the work. You can just write it on a piece of paper and sign it at the Office.

Do you have to make up hourly prices for all this?

 

[Jdubs]

Thanks Daver. I appreciate the info. The other option I have is disking. Seems to me that would lump it up too much, but I don't know. I was wondering if disking without spraying is an effort in futility as the unwanted growth can still germinate.????

 

[antleraddiction]

Thanks Daver. I appreciate the info. The other option I have is disking. Seems to me that would lump it up too much, but I don't know. I was wondering if disking without spraying is an effort in futility as the unwanted growth can still germinate.????

In my opinion the only thing discing does is promote weed growth. Weed seed is great for pheasants but bad if you don't like weeds.

 

[Tim Hull]

THey just pay you based on a formula of so much per acre. I think it was around half of the yearly amount, but that is just going on memory.

 

[Daver]

Thanks Daver. I appreciate the info. The other option I have is disking. Seems to me that would lump it up too much, but I don't know. I was wondering if disking without spraying is an effort in futility as the unwanted growth can still germinate.????

Funny...I originally signed up for the disking option for my MCM activities way back when and when I mentioned that I had done that to a particular neighbor, who has a very strong agricultural background and knows just about everybody, etc, he STRONGLY advised me not to go the disking route. He had heard from multiple people that had done so and regretted it since the ground was then too rough and weeds came on pretty strong, etc.

So on his advice I changed my plan to the spraying option and I have been satisfied with that. FYI, a few years ago, to spur weed growth actually, I started disking up a small section, or two, of the ground to purposely create a small field of weeds to help the quail.

Quail like disturbed ground and "seedy", taller plants overhead. In a year, I usually do 2 separate places, each about 1/2 acre and believe me, the quail will be right around those spots all summer long. In fact, I plan on disking up these spots for the year this coming weekend.

I would not want acres and acres of unwanted weeds and rough ground though out in my CRP acres.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

THey just pay you based on a formula of so much per acre. I think it was around half of the yearly amount, but that is just going on memory.

right... up to a certain capped amount per acre, but you have to justify the cost to get to the cap. From what I am gathering you basically have to make things up unless you actually hire someone who provides an invoice. This does not shock me as being stupid; after all, it is the government.

 

[HorseDoctor]

Not only does discing make the ground very rough to walk on but it may well "release" an abundant crop of dormant thistle seed which neighbors tend to frown on. Don't ask me how I know that.

 

[Tim Hull]

I would not recommend discing, it is no fun to walk through even to look for sheds and when it is frozen it is an ankle buster. Then if you ever have to mow it it is a nightmare to drive over on a tractor.

 

[Daver]

Not only does discing make the ground very rough to walk on but it may well "release" an abundant crop of dormant thistle seed which neighbors tend to frown on. Don't ask me how I know that.

Valid point.^^ Just an observation of mine, It may be a coincidence, I am not sure...But I too have run into some thistle blooms following tillage and vegetation removal, in particular, in those areas where livestock would have been in yesteryear.

In my case, I had two 100 year old barns on my place when I bought it and they were both beauties, but way past saving, unfortunately. According to old timers in the area, previous landowners had livestock in and around these barns back in the day. When I started mowing/burning/disking the vegetation that had grown up around them through the years I got thistles there like they were going out of style.

I eventually beat them back with repeated mowings and sprayings, but they came on scary THICK. While I have had some thistles "volunteer" in other areas of the farm following soil manipulation, it was never anything close to what I had up around the barns.

Soooo, you may want to consider that aspect too and if you see thistles coming on...get on them right away and hit them HARD!