Increased Flotation
Working with their conventional two-wheel-drive combine, the brothers decided they would try to float it on the widest possible tires. The combine already had 30.5 x 32 super-traction radials. They added a set of spacers, then bolted on a second set of tires to the inner rims. On the steering axle they added extensions and put on terra tires, giving them 220 inches of rubber on the ground at all times. It must be noted, however, that anyone planning to add additional tires to their combine should follow only the specifications provided by their combine manufacturer. “This machine had to be 20 feet wide,” Lee said. “In water, we didn’t sink that badly, we just lost traction because there’s so much flotation.” On the first try they made 200 yards before getting stuck. “We had a lot of combines stuck in the last number of years. But with these duels, we had amazing flotation. The combine wasn’t mired at all, it simply didn’t have traction.” The next day they went out with renewed hope and a different approach. The solution was in a slower ground speed. When the tire cleats filled with mud the day before, they lost traction and started to spin. “We had to keep our cleats clean,” Lee recalled. “Each cleat would dig and pull as long as ground progress stayed even with tire rotation. We were able to combine 40 acres of that field without getting stuck again. We left the very wettest part for the third day.” On the third day, the combine got stuck again where the water was 18 inches deep. The cleats dug through the topsoil into a soft gravel-clay mixture. “We only sank seven or eight inches, but we just didn’t have the firm support we needed,” Lee said. Easy Pull To get the combine out of that field, they drove a tractor to the nearest high and relatively dry ground, rolled up their pants, and waded out to the stranded machine with cables and chains. “We were about 150 feet from dry land,” Lee said. “It pulled out with no problem because the flotation was so good. We used just a fraction of the pulling strength we expected to use because it wasn’t mired down in mud.” The last 10 acres of that field were left for the ducks.
The problem soon turned into an opportunity. In the U.S., native grasses were in demand for use in the new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Land owners and governments were being encouraged to create 100-foot grass buffer zones along every river and stream. Tax incentives were also being offered for the use of low-maintenance turf grasses on lawns and recreational fields. “Native species such as buffalo grass, blue grama, tufted hairgrass, and Junegrass have shown very impressive results for this kind of turf,” Lee explained. “They stay green with very little water, and some have exceptional wear traits.” Learning The Ropes They discovered the native grasses would produce a good seed crop in their region, but management advice for growing it was not available in this northern prairie. So the brothers initiated their own research program. Now, those who contract to grow seed for the brothers also go to them for herbicide and agronomic advice. Research has become a $35,000 budget item for Interlake. Paul specializes in market development, contracting, and administration. “There’s a lot of trading in this industry. We trade seed. We buy from growers outside of Manitoba on the open market. We own the rights to several forage varieties in Canada and Europe,” Paul said. “Some U.S. companies ask us to multiply new varieties from breeder status through to foundation and certified seed.” Those who grow seed for the company may do so with a standard purchase contract or an audited, European-style “participating contract” if they would like to assume more risk and possibly gain a higher return. With a participating contract, Paul explained, the grower receives 85 percent of the sale price, but must pay for “cleaning, shipping, and all the documentation. If the seed doesn’t sell, it’s still his product. If it does, he’s rewarded with a much better return than he would receive on the open market.” To be successful with a participating contract a grower must be “plugged into the market.” A serious brush fire somewhere in North America can have a major impact on the price if a lot of native seed is suddenly required. But when a crop is overproduced, the price can also go down. Row Crop Grass Seed
Among the native grasses on this farm are species grown in reparian zones such as tufted hairgrass, fringe brome, blue grama, side oats grama, little bluestem, and Canada wild rye. Drought And Water Tolerant Reed canarygrass was one of the first riparian type grasses produced by the Gregory brothers. It can grow six to eight feet tall. “We found that canarygrass thrives in temporary flooding, and even in permanent flooding situations,” Lee said. “It is one of the most flood-tolerant grasses and at the same time one of the most drought-tolerant.” It is grown extensively across North America for lowland revegetation and pasture. “Plant breeders have reduced the (plant) alkaloid levels, making it more palatable for livestock,” Lee said. But because it is an invasive species, canarygrass is considered too aggressive for use in riparian zones. To keep it under control as a seed crop, the Gregorys grow it as a row crop using 22-inch row spacing. The rows are cultivated twice a year to keep it from spreading like quackgrass. The ideal growing season for seed production is a temporary flood while it is growing, followed by a drying off period as harvest approaches. To harvest the seed, Lee sets the combine header about five feet high. He takes off the canarygrass seed before it is fully mature. “The heads are prone to shattering,” he said, “and they mature from the top down. When we’ve lost about 10 percent to shattering, the majority of the field usually is ripe and ready for harvest.” A good average seed yield is 250 to 300 pounds an acre. The five-foot stubble, which is still green, is mowed down and baled, yielding two to four 1,500-pound bales per acre. It is used as straw or roughage by local cattlemen. This year, if and when the heavy rains come, the Gregory brothers can rest assured they will still get a crop. |
