Greetings & blessings to our sustainable agriculture community! As we come to the end of 2015, I look back and reflect to find that we were so blessed with many things. In spring, we were blessed with a great growing season. The spring never really came in with a flush like years before, but it steadily came in and grew. The grazing season, if you really stop and think about it, was an awesome season. We never had a real drought in mid-summer, but the season kept on going. The rains that came in August and September made grazing excellent. This year was another giant sleeper, if you will, with grass just coming steadily. There was never a lot at any given time, but steady grass growth through the summer did occur. In the fall, we reminded you to continue feeding pastures and replace minerals that the forage and hay took away.

We were also blessed throughout Pennsylvania for a great corn and bean growing season. It was unlike some places that had too much water in the spring and not enough in the summer. Our corn yields did take a hit because of lack of summer water, but as the season finished we had an average season with an average harvest.

Again it was apparent to me that it is so important to add mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria to corn row starters. Biological life in the soil helps to balance out nutrients in water when it is abundant, as well as balancing the levels during drought conditions.

Winter Meetings and EducationWe are again planning another great year of meetings, starting with the Real Health Conference on February 12-13 (see enclosed brochure for details). Please note the exciting additional event on Friday, February 12 with Dr. Arden Andersen speaking on Agriculture, Food and Cancer. On Saturday, we will have 31 seminars packed with great information for you to educate yourself and your family on real health and to be great professionals in the organic agriculture community. We invite you to come prepared for hands

FARMER NEWSLETTER

Naturally Interested in Your Future

Winter 2016 Vol. 16 Issue 1

Notes from Reuben

Soil NutritionGarden & Human Products

Agricultural Seeds Animal Health & Nutrition

60 North Ronks Road Ronks, PA 17572 • 717-687-9222 • www.LancasterAg.com

by Reuben Stoltzfus

Daniel Stoltzfus prepares to greet customers at the ACRES Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Dec. 9, 2015. continued on page 2

Real Health Conference

brochure & form INSIDE!

Feb. 12 & 13

WHAT’S INSIDE Notes from Reuben ......... 1

Winter Education ............ 1

Plan to Plant This Spring ........................ 2

Gardens & Produce ......... 2

Residue Management ...... 2

Trade Shows ..................... 3

Photosynthesis & Foliar ............................. 4

Foliar Feeding .................. 5

Financial Focus: Pay Today or Pay Tomorrow ......................... 6

2016 Discounts ................ 6

Inspirational: Can You Lend Me A Hand? ............................ 7

Honey & Stevia as Sweeteners in Jams .......... 7

Frosted Alfalfa .................. 8

Custom Dry Blends ......... 8

Organic Certification ...... 9

Nutri-Min for Animals ... 9

Growing Programs ........ 10

Order Earlyfor Discounts

2

on learning experiences. Redmond Clay will demonstrate how clay can heal the body both internally and externally. Neil Bosshardt will show how poultices can be made to heal tough wounds. Dr. Streeter will cover many human health topics. Dr. Paul, Dr. Scaletti and Dr. Jodarski will have hands-on demonstrations showing internal parts of bovine mammary gland tissues, reproductive tissues and the internal organs of livestock. Be sure to attend and bring along your curious children who wonder how the insides perform and how they appear. There are many interesting topics, so do read the brochure on all topics that will be presented in this action-packed health extravaganza.

Lancaster Ag also plans to do several trade shows throughout the country (see list on next page), so if there is one close to you, we invite you to come.

We recently attended Acres USA held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was an exciting time for all of us. This is the first time Acres was held in PA. Many years ago there was a satellite Acres conference in Willow St.; however, this is the first time the main conference was held here. The two days were packed with information about organic agriculture. It was inspiring and encouraging to those of us who want to get away from chemical agriculture and move into sustainable agriculture.

Plan to Plant This SpringIn January and February, I encourage you to start planning for spring planting. The more prepared you are, the more successful your crop will be. Begin discussing this topic with your family (including children) and farmhands. Decide when and where you want to start grazing and what type of grasses you want to use. Be sure to consciously choose to add nutrients to your soil. Remember, the more nutrition our plants have, the less disease and insects they will endure.

Vital minerals such as calcium, boron, and sulfur are so important in adding structure, nutrition, and health to our plants, animals and all creatures who consume them. Calcium is the most important mineral that our crops utilize. It helps develop strong cellular walls and stalk strength. Boron is also essential as it helps to assimilate calcium and develop many parts of the cellular tissue in plants. This translates to the life of the livestock as it helps to form bones and skeletal structure. Sulfur is important in building amino acids and allows livestock to fully utilize the protein. Soils with adequate sulfur help translate the proper protein to the livestock’s needs. This protein can then be assimilated into meat, milk, eggs, or whatever the livestock is producing. We encourage

you to start planning now for your spring fertilization, so you can harvest nutrients in your crops that will pass on for generations. See page 10 to follow our programs for alfalfa, grasses and other crops.

Gardens & ProduceI want to encourage you all to add nutrients to your produce and garden crops. It has been apparent to me again this year that the more nutrients your crops have the less prone they will be to disease. Each year at our produce lot, Beechdale Farm, we find this to be vital. We find that the more insect and disease pressures we have, the less nutrients we have in our plants. However, we find that the reverse is true in that insects and disease are no longer a problem when our plants have nutrient health. Refer to our catalog or page 10 of this newsletter for produce and garden programs you can try for better tasting and nutritious crops. Keep in mind that good healthy soils bring good healthy plants and vegetables.

Residue Management & Cover CropsResidue management and cover crops are crucial for a healthy growing system. If you don’t incorporate residue into your cover crops properly, you sacrifice yields and bring on diseases and insects next year, without even knowing it. Be conscious of understanding proper residue management programs. Residue should always be incorporated into the ground right after the harvest, so you have all the simple carbons, carbohydrates and sugars needed for the plant to break down quickly. When you have plants breaking down quickly and properly in the soil, all of these rich nutrients can be absorbed into humus and stored for the next year’s crop. When residue is managed properly, nitrogen can then be available for crops in the next season.

continued from page 1

Notes from Reuben

How to Prepare for Spring Planting

“When you fail to plan you plan to fail.”

Get started in January & February

Involve the whole family in this process

Find your farm plans & maps to help decide where

different crops will be planted in the Spring

Decide how much of each crop to plant

Check the conditions of pastures

Check which crops need to be reseeded

Order or prepay for seeds & fertilizers

Check farming equipment

3

Notes from Reuben

visit lancaster ag at these 2016 trade showsJanuary 5-7 Keystone Farm Show - York, PA

January 14-16 CASA - Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture- Hyattsville, MD

January 16 NOFA Mass Winter Conference - Worcester, MA

January 22-24 NOFA NY Winter Conference - Saratoga Springs, NY

January 26-29 Virginia Forage Conference (VFGC) - Blackstone, VA

January 28-29 North Central Ohio Dairy Grazing Conference by Small Farm Institute- Dalton, OH

January 28-30 Virginia Biological Farming Conference by VABF - Wirtz, VA

January 29 Lebanon County Graziers Meeting - Lebanon, PA

January 30-31 NOFA NJ Food & Ag Winter Conference - Lincroft, NJ

February 3-6 PASA - Farming for the Future Conference - State College, PA

February 12-13 Lancaster Ag’s Real Health Conference - Ronks, PA

February 15-16 Southeast PA Grazing Conference - Ronks, PA

February 25-27 NY Farm Show - Syracuse, NY

February 12 NOFA CT Winter Conference - Danbury, CT

July Family Farm Field Day

March 16 NOFA NY Organic Dairy & Field Crop Conference - Syracuse, NY

July 15 Dairy Expo - Berryville, VA

August 9-11 Empire Farm Days - Seneca Falls, NY

August 12-14 NOFA Mass Summer Conference - Amherst, MA

September 20-22 Farm Science Review -London, OH

December 8-10 ACRES December Conference - Omaha, NE

If you don’t handle fall residue properly, it will linger in spring and all that’s left is carbon. That carbon will be tilled into the soil, which then steals nitrogen from the soil until it is properly decomposed. Once decomposition is complete, the nitrogen can be available to the crop that it is growing. Until this happens, your plants suffer. When you have suffering plants, you will have insects and diseases. Therefore, the produce season really starts in August and September at harvest time. Get that residue incorporated into the ground for a healthy harvest production!

Cover crops are essential in helping balance soil nutrients in the fall. They serve as a cleanser while also storing residue nutrients. These nutrients created from residue are for the next year’s crop. There are many ways and reasons to grow a cover crop. Let’s focus on the nutrients benefiting next year’s crop, cleansing the soil, feeding the soil’s microbial life and replenishing what your crops have taken from

the soil throughout the year.

As I bring this newsletter to a close, I want to encourage you to start planning early and actively learn something new this year. Plan on attending the Real Health Conference February 12-13. Call us early to start planning for spring fertilization. I recommend that you get your families involved and include them in the planning process.

Naturally Yours,

Reuben Stoltzfus

4

What is foliar? It involves sunshine, which is energy, and chlorophyll, which is made in the plant. At the center of chlorophyll is magnesium. It is a carrier and compares to the function of hemoglobin in the blood stream. Hemoglobin has iron in the middle; chlorophyll has magnesium in the middle. They are very similar organic molecules.

What does this do, this sunlight and energy? It takes carbon, which is the skeleton of all organic molecules. Of the 92 elements on the elemental chart we use, carbon is the only element that can bond to itself. On this carbon, carbon, carbon, carbon string that we have (some of them are very long), we hang 91 other elements to form different compounds.

For example, if we are making protein, we will find a lot of nitrogen because protein is nitrogen. If we are making sugars, we will find lots of carbons, hydrogen, and oxygen. We can make carbohydrates like what is in seeds and all of these are made by photosynthesis with this chlorophyll molecule, acting as a catalyst to put this together.

Every time there is a bond between a carbon and a sulfur, that bond is energy. And all energy comes from sunlight. So the key to this is that it is capturing energy to make large proteins, sugars, carbohydrates, alkaloids, and terpenoides. There is a big, long string of bonds of energy and 91 other elements on carbon.

The only element that cannot be photosynthesized from the air is calcium. Calcium has so much energy that unless the brix is really high, calcium has to come from the ground. There are also some trace elements that can come from the air, but those that are not plentiful in the air, come from the ground. The roots of plants suck up some elements, but the majority of the elements that are photosynthesized into a plant come out of the air.

Where does this photosynthesis happen? On the bottom side of the leaf where there are little holes that open and close. There are little hairs on those holes and they are the opening to the respiratory system. They take in carbon dioxide CO2. A plant does not respire with oxygen like our mammalian body. A plant respires with CO2 and they give off oxygen. That is why the air smells so fresh and pure in a forest. The forest has a higher level of oxygen because the plants are all giving off oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide comes into the plant, and the carbon is pulled off of that. That is the basis of the carbon chain for photosynthesis.

What does a healthy plant need to do so that photosynthesis occurs? There is a whole complex of things that are part of the process. It is important to know these things, because this is what is put into a foliar spray. If you know everything that the plant is going to need to build these molecules, then that is what is put into a foliar spray.

Here is a list of some of the requirements needed to build good molecules. The first one is proteins. Proteins are made of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks or if you string together lysine, cystine, there are 20 amino acids that are essential for life. These amino acids need to be present for photosynthesis. Where do we get amino acids in organic agriculture? Fish and seaweed are protein.

Trace elements. We need zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum; all of these little trace elements that are in minute amounts are really, really important to make enzymes. An enzyme runs the immune system and the reproductive system.

Trace elements can come from the soil and/or the air. What do we use in the foliar spray for the trace elements? Liquid kelp. I love kelp. That is why we feed it. A couple of ounces of kelp keep the immune system and the reproductive system going.

Then we need some energy. What is energy? Sugar. What is our sugar source? Molasses. In non-organic, good old GMO corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup are probably used. We cannot go there. We have to use molasses, an organic brown sugar, or an organic cane sugar. We use mainly molasses and that is energy. You need to put some energy into that for photosynthesis and we need to be able to conduct electricity through it. How do we do it? We ionize that foliar spray and we do that with sea salt.

Sodium chloride will conduct a current through there and that is needed in any liquid solution. Carbon molecules. There has to be available carbon and some other traces. Humates. Liquid humates are an excellent source of carbon. They bring some traces to it. They bring enzymes. We really do not know everything that is in humates. We are on a learning curve there, but humates really add a punch. They have a lot of energy, a lot of ergs of energy. Humates are very, very common in foliar sprays.

On the east coast farmers get a lot of rain and sulfur and boron have a negative charge just like the soil, so it leeches. Lancaster Ag recommends this, “Get your sulfur and boron out there every year.” Foliar spray is a really good way to get your sulfur and boron out there, thus they can be put into a foliar.

A foliar spray representative will look at the soil. If it is really low on something, like mag, a recommendation to add mag sulfate will be given, anything that is soluble that can be sprayed. Another thing that can be put in is apple cider vinegar. In New Zealand if calcium is needed in a foliar spray, a really finely ground limestone like talcum powder is used. A problem with calcium is that it will settle out and plug things up. They have a fungus and bacteria they put in to make a slurry with the calcium. The problem is it cannot sit around very long or the whole thing turns to pudding. A simple way to get some calcium on is milk. People who make their own foliars can put in a gallon of milk per acre.

I have seen many mistakes in homemade foliar sprays, because the complete package is not being supplied for photosynthesis. To make these molecules from sunlight and the chlorophyll, the things that are needed are traces, protein, sugar, sea salt, and carbon. Farmers think, “I’m going to go out and spray.” In fact in the Midwest, two farmers combined sea salt and milk. They sprayed it on their pastures and they saw absolutely nothing. Their conclusion was that foliar spray does not work. They forgot sugar, protein, and traces. They put too little parts of the equation out there. When the rest is missing, it does not work. When you foliar spray, you need a balanced spraying approach. The carbon-based molecules that you want to build require a full program.

Land prices are getting higher from Oregon to Maine. Land is a good investment because it is solid and durable. I have seen land prices go up in spite of the economy. When land gets expensive, people start foliar spraying. This is going to grow. If you have never foliar sprayed, you might want to look at it. You do need calcium in the Albrecht system

Photosynthesis & Foliar by Dr. Paul Detloff

The View

5

The View

We have reviewed past issues of our Farmer Newsletters and compiled articles that teach about the importance of foliar feeding. We hope these readings are both educational and inspirational for you!

A Quick Summary of What Foliar Feeding Can Do

Trace Minerals in Foliars: When applying liquid and dry fertilizers for alfalfa and forages, also make sure that you are applying trace minerals. Be aware that the trace minerals are what your livestock are looking for when they graze. The trace minerals will help bring sustainable health to your farming operation. – 2010 Spring Farmer Newsletter

Custom Foliar Sprays: Here at Lancaster Ag we specialize in developing both liquid and dry Top Dresses for forages and grain crops. These Top Dresses have high levels of vital trace minerals. Lancaster Ag rarely applies straight nitrogen without adding trace minerals such as sugar, carbon, and humic products. Most of these products are manufactured here at Lancaster Ag and can be custom designed for your farming crops. – 2010 Spring Farmer Newsletter

Spraying at Green-up and after Cuttings: Spray Cal-Phos (if you are certified organic or in transition, use MPM) on your pasture and hay crops at green-up to boost early growth and improve plant health. The nutrients improved by the fish calcium, seaweed biologicals, boron sulfur, and other trace minerals at this early growth stage determine the size that your plants will grow to for the first harvest. Also foliar spray your crops after each cutting or grazing for more energies from the sugars and for better quality grazing. Spraying at green-up and after the first and second cutting will strengthen the plants, lessen insect damage, and resist disease throughout the season. – 2010 Spring Farmer Newsletter

Foliar Feeding in Stress Conditions: In stress conditions, foliar feed is a must. In the wintertime when human health is a bit stressed with things such as lack of sleep or undernourishment, colds and flu are present. A decent diet, Vitamin C, aloe vera, and herbal tinctures can boost the immune system and help to establish optimum health. The same holds true in forages and plants, especially fruits and vegetables. In stress conditions, find ways to foliar feed your crops more often. In this way nurse them to health for wholesome forages and feed for your livestock. – 2012 Summer Farmer Newsletter

Sunshine + Foliar Spray = Healthy Plants: This is the start of a healthy plant; step one in a good Soils Program is getting your soil balanced with Dry Blends and soil amendments to properly align the calcium, magnesium, potassium, trace elements and PH. This I feel is only doing the job part way. Why not plug into the second step of that process and take advantage of photosynthesis? This process captures nature’s free energy to build molecules that make a nutrient-rich plant. Over 90% of the biomass in any field comes from the air by photosynthesis.

Your assignment as a sustainable cattleman is to learn how to grow a highly mineralized, high brix (totally dissolved solids), full-stemmed grass or hay. Foliar spray provides all of the necessary ingredients to grow this plant. Everything is sprayed on the plant’s factory (leaves and grasses), and that plus sunshine yields a more nutrient-dense plant. Foliar spraying is an excellent way to make a good plant into a top quality plant to provide optimum quality feed for healthy livestock. – By Dr. Paul Dettloff, 2010 Summer Farmer Newsletter

to be in place a little bit.

If you have never addressed soils at all, I recommend you consider using Lancaster Ag’s Dry Blends to build your calcium, magnesium, and potassium ratios properly. You can foliar spray at the same time that you are building the Albrecht system, but you had better get some pretty good advice. Otherwise you will waste your money on foliar spray.

I have seen some very dramatic results from foliar spray. I have a herb garden in which I grow quite a number of perennial herbs for my Dr. Paul’s tincturing business, and I watch the ergs of energy. It is very interesting. When I raise the brix and I grow a really good echinacea plant six feet high, I get more ergs of energy in my tincture out of that echinacea that I ever have. But I foliar spray my herb garden five times a summer.

As dairymen, remember that the rumen is made to digest grass and hay. Your goal is to grow a highly mineralized, high-brix, full-stemmed grass or hay for the rumen. You will have a healthy dairy cow and a healthy calf and you will not need to feed a lot of grain. Cheap grain is

history because we are producing ethanol for fuel and exporting our corn and soybeans to China. There is a world protein shortage right now. We have no extra food on this planet. Thus, cheap grain is history. Learn how to grow grass and explore a way to put a foliar spray into your system.

Sunshine + Foliar Spray = Healthy Plants

6

Pay Today or Pay Tomorrow: Ways to Pay at Lancaster Agby Larry Groff

The Financial Focus

1. Automated Clearing House (ACH)What is ACH?

ACH is a method for paying bills that directly transfers money from your personal or business bank account. ACH allows funds to be transmitted electronically, which makes it faster than using checks and cheaper than using credit cards.

Why use ACH?

It’s simple. All you have to do is give the numbers already on your personal check to Lancaster Ag when choosing your method of payment.

It’s Convenient. No more wasted time hand-writing checks or mailing letters. ACH is a once and done setup process that you can continue to use.

It’s Cheaper. No more paying for postage. Receive a 2% discount when you pay with ACH on or before your invoice date or receive a 1% discount if you pay within 10 days of your invoice date. No surcharges if paid within 30 days of invoice.

It’s Safe. Your banking information is stored on the highly protected bank website.

*You do not always have to use ACH once you have it set up. You are welcome to use other forms of payment.

Lancaster Ag offers a variety of payment options to help best meet your needs as a valued customer. Some payment options even include a discount on your invoice! Take a few minutes to look over the pros and cons of the available payment options to determine which one works best for you.

Be Prepared for Financial EmergenciesSometimes things don’t go according to plan. That’s why its incredibly important for you to have a back-up plan for paying your bills. Here are a couple ways to stay one step ahead.

• Establish a line of credit somewhere in case of emergency.

• Plan for back-up financing if you foresee going over 30 days.

• Be assertive. Ask family, friends or a bank for a loan instead of going into credit card debt or paying 2% monthly through Lancaster Ag.

• Communicate! While making a phone call or writing a letter may feel embarrassing, take this important step to let Lancaster Ag know your situation. It shows you care and are trying to responsibly deal with payments.

LANCASTER AG SEEDS

Payment received by: January 30 5% February 27 4% March 31 3%

After March, regular cash discounts apply.

BLUE RIVER SEEDS

Payment postmarked by: January 30 4% February 27 3%

After February, regular cash discounts apply.

2016 Early Payment

Discounts

3. Credit/DebitLancaster Ag accepts Mastercard, Visa and Discover cards. There is no discount on invoices paid with credit or debit cards.

Pay Late, Pay 2%. Don’t be caught off guard by finance charges. If you pay on time you can earn a 2% discount, but if you are late with your payment Lancaster Ag charges 2% interest per month after 30 days of your invoice being due. 2% might not seem like a lot at first glance, but imagine this scenario. If you pay 2% on a $2,000 balance that means you will pay $40 of interest every month. If you go a whole year, that adds $480 in interest to your bill. 2% a month ends up being 24% interest a year! Plan ahead and make sure you can make payments on time so you don’t end up paying finance charges.

2. Cash/CheckIf payment is received by the invoice date you receive a 2% discount. Receive a 1% discount if payment is made within 10 days of the invoice. No surcharges if paid within 30 days of invoice.

Letters must be POSTMARKED within 10 days of invoice date to receive the 1% discount.

ALL checks are deposited daily. Be sure you have sufficient funds when you write a check.

7

I plopped down onto the rocking chair on the front porch. The sun was starting to set and I could feel the day’s dried sweat sticking to my arms and legs. I breathed a deep sigh of relief. It was good to finally be off my feet. Suddenly, my father pulled into the driveway completely unannounced.

My parents were missionaries in the midst of packing up their house as they prepared to head to Africa for 3 years. They were going through 30 years worth of belongings trying to figure out what to keep and what to get rid of. They were each allowed to take 2 suitcases to Africa, everything else had to go! For weeks now my father had been bringing carloads of things to store in my attic; everything from old books of family photographs to stone axes acquired in wild jungles. Everything had a story, and more practically, everything had to be carried up the steep rickety attic stairs and find a place to be stored in my attic that was quickly running out of space.

I let out a silent groan. The car was packed to the roof with more boxes. The last thing I wanted to climb those rickety attic stairs again. My 60 year old father eased himself out of the car and stared at me with tired

eyes. “Can you lend me a hand?” I looked at him standing there with

his now silvery hair and I thought of the million times I’d asked him for help

growing up and the hours he’d spent teaching me how to draw, build and play sports. The list of life lessons and sayings

he’d taught me stretched on farther than I could name. I noticed his hands were all

calloused and marked with scars. I’d put some of those scars there over the years.

I glanced down at my own hands and I remembered how as a kid how I always put my hands up against my

dad’s to measure how big mine were compared to his. When I was little I never imagined that my hands could be as big or as

tough as my father’s. I thought the day would never come when I would someday be taller and stronger than him. I marveled at how his words, “Can you lend me a hand,” showed the way life had come full circle. For so many years his hands had been the powerful guiding hands for me and our family. Now my hands were the ones needed most. I walked over and my father put out his hand to shake mine. I grabbed his strong leathery hand and pulled him into a warm embrace. “I’d love to give you a hand. Let’s move some boxes.”

Inspiration

Can You Lend Me A Hand?by Simeon Harrar

After months of cold and wintry weather and a diet of hot tea and hearty soups, everyone is looking forward to eating fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables from the garden. The earliest and sweetest fruits to ripen are strawberries. They are loved for their wonderful aroma and bright red color, which makes a springtime table look festive. A good way to enjoy strawberries all year round is to make strawberry jam.Lancaster Ag recommends using Pomona’s Pectin to make jams and jellies with low sugar or honey. It is 100% pure citrus pectin that is the most versatile and reliable pectin available. Each box contains an information sheet with a chart of jams, jellies, and marmalades made from many fruits and their required ingredients and amounts. Best of all, there are detailed step-by-step instructions. Pomona’s ensures that your jam will jell when you use less sugar or sweeteners other than sugar, such as honey, maple syrup, juice concentrate, stevia, xylitol, or just plain fruit. These sweeteners help to bring out the flavor of the fruit. We found great success when using ½ cup honey and ½ teaspoon stevia in our strawberry, strawberry and rhubarb, and peach jams. Be sure to carefully follow Pomona’s directions and you will be able to make your jams and jellies with less sugar or by using other sweeteners of your choice.Tip: Pomona’s Pectin is available in natural food stores and in the natural food section of many supermarkets.

Using Honey and Stevia toSweeten Strawberry Jamfrom the kitchen of Mary Stoltzfus

8

In the Field

by Dan Undersander

Dan Undersander is on staff at the University of Wisconsin as an Extension and Research Forage Agronomist. His research interests include alfalfa plant health and survival. This article is reprinted with permission.

Frosted Alfalfa

Have You Tried Our Custom Dry Blend Components?

Alfalfa has started growing extraordinarily early this year. The amount of spring growth is unusual when we are still having some freezing nights. This situation has caused many management questions among farmers.

To make the best managements decision we must understand the growth and biology of alfalfa. A basic characteristic of alfalfa is that it is tolerant of cold temperatures. Here are a few Alfalfa Growth Principles:

1. Temperatures in the 25-30°F range may cause some leaf deformation for those leaves in early development stages but earlier and later leaves will not be affected.

2. Night temperatures must fall to 24°F or lower for four or more hours to freeze alfalfa top growth. This mean that temperatures at freezing or just below (28-32°) will not damage the alfalfa. In fact, we can actually have snow with no damage to growing alfalfa.

3. The only way to tell if alfalfa is damaged from a cold night is to wait 2-4 days to determine if the leaves are wilted or blackened. Unless this damage is present there is no frost injury. Damage will occur mainly to the top of the growth since that is most exposed to the cold temperatures.

In this case, please observe the plants and check for these signs:

-If leaf edges only are blackened or show signs of burn, damage is minimal with little to no yield loss and nothing should be done.

-If only a few entire leaves are damaged but not the bud, yield loss will be minimal and nothing should be done.

Checking for Significant Damage:

If the entire stem top (some leaves and bud) is wilted and turns down, then the growing point (bud) has been killed by frost and that stem will not grow any further except for axillary shoots that may develop at leaf junctures on the stem. The plant has not been killed and new growth will occur from developing crown buds. When entire tops are frosted, significant yield loss will occur.

If the growth of frozen stems is too short to justify harvest, do nothing and new shoots will develop from crown and axillary buds. Yield will be reduced and harvest will be delayed while the new shoots develop.

If the new growth of frozen stems is sufficiently tall to be economic to harvest (14 inches or more), do so. There is no toxin in the frozen top growth and it will provide good high-quality forage. Mow immediately and harvest as normal. Regrowth will be slow and some total season yield loss will occur. After harvest ensure that soil fertility is adequate for good growth. Letting the next cutting grow to first flower will improve stand condition.

The early spring has allowed extraordinarily early alfalfa growth and in the absence of frost damage, most farmers should be prepared to harvest dairy-quality haylage before the end of April. The recommendation is to cut by height using a forage quality stick for high-quality forage.

4 Ways to Purchase Dry Blends:

50 lb. bags • Bulk totes • Lancaster Ag’s spreader trucks custom spreading to your specifications • Bulk trailerload lots delivered to the farm

**Price is based on customized recommendations.** Ask about our competitive freight rate options.

• Ammonium Sulfate• Aragonite - dry• Argonite - damp• BioD• Bio-Traces• Boron• Brown Rock Phosphate• Copper Sulfate - feed

grade• Dynamin• Fish Meal• Gypsum - dry• Gypsum - damp• Humates• Humus• Iron Sulfate• Kelp• Limestone – Coarse #2• Limestone Dolomite• Limestone Hi-Cal• Magnesium Sulfate• Manganese Sulfate - feed

grade

• Microbial Seed Guard• Molasses• Monoammonium

Phosphate (MAP)• Monoculture Blend• Oasis Meal• Performance II• Potassium Sulfate• Seaweed• Sodium – Redmond• Sodium – SEA-90• Soft Rock Phosphate -

powder• Soft Rock Phosphate-

granular• Sulfate of Potash - organic• Sulfate of Potash - regular• Sulfate of Potash-

Magnesia - organic• Sulfate of Potash-

Magnesia - regular• Sulfur• Zinc Sulfate - feed grade

Over 30 blend products available to be custom blended to your specifications or farm needs.

This is a partial listing. Call for more options.

9

In the Field

How Does Organic Certification Work at Lancaster Ag?

To Organic Farmers and Growers: You are responsible to have our products approved by your own certification agent.

Lancaster Ag’s Nutri-Min products include herbals, botanicals and probiotics. The name Nutri-Min describes nutrition through

colloidal minerals. Colloidal minerals can be easily absorbed and readily used. We have developed

our Nutri-Min products using chelated vitamins and minerals, along with many colloidal minerals and traces such as kelp, humate, diatomaceous earth, aragonite, conditioner, probiotics, herbals, botanicals and similar ingredients that are highly absorbed when passing through an animal’s system.

These elements are already blended into our minerals and there is no

need to feed them separately. They will help to condition

the microbes of the intestinal tract, and as a result, will provide a better manure system for your fields. Lancaster Ag builds a mineral package that has a full circle of mineralization in mind, not just production. The full circle is: cows > manure > soils > crops. We feel that we now have some of the best minerals on the market today.

These special formulations meet the needs of healthy, growing and highly productive animals. They support all systems for optimum health. Contact your Lancaster Ag field representative to see which minerals fit into your enterprise. you may also call us for a complete listing of ingredients or a copy of our labels.

Nutri-Min: Quality Minerals for Your Animals!

Our Certified Organic Products: Lancaster Ag formulates blends that are focused on nutrient-dense crops for human health. Our certified organic products and labels are indicated in these two ways:

1. The CFU symbol in our catalog (Considered for Organic Use)2. The green band on our labels

This implies that the products are formulated to be compatible with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). In other words, the catalog symbol and the product label ensure that our product is acceptable to be used in the USDA organic system.

Are your products approved by my certification agency? Ask your certification agent if a certain Lancaster Ag product is approved by his agency. If the product has not yet been reviewed, please call Lancaster Ag at 717-687-9222. We will submit a complete label, formula and backup documents to your certification agent for approval of use. Please allow a full week’s notice.

How do I obtain label copies for my certifier? Kindly give one full week advance notice if you need labels provided to your certifier. Please do not call us the day before, as it takes time to assemble everything!

Check the label, stop the truck and check the paperwork! We take organic certification very seriously and need your help. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to check with your certifier before applying anything to your crops or feeding your animals. Thus, it is very important that you get prior approval before receiving any products. This applies to products you purchase from anywhere, not just Lancaster Ag.

Keep your product labels! Here are some ideas for archiving ingredient labels for minerals, feeds, fertilizers and seeds:

• Cut off labels and place in a file folder marked “Product labels”. Always add to the front of the folder, so you know which products are most recent. When you stop using a product, place that label in a separate folder called “label archive” just in case you need access to it later.

• Keep a shoebox in your barn desk drawer marked “Product labels” to keep product labels. Write the start date for using that product directly on the label.

HELP US HELP YOU!1. Be sure you received what you ordered.2. Don’t apply or feed until you look at the labels.

Farmers and growers who use Lancaster Agricultural Products to grow certified organic crops work with their own certification agencies. Our company cooperates with organic certifiers, providing them with product labels and formulations, as well as answering questions as they arise.

CFU

Don’t let organic certification hold you up from properly fertilizing your crops!

Organic cert.

requires soil samples

to be 3 years old or newer

in order for you to apply

restricted products such

as copper, boron &

zinc.

Prepare for organic cert. inspection:

SUBMIT SOIL SAMPLES NOW!

10

Programs

Remember, Lancaster Ag has both biological & organic

Corn Row Starter.

Sweet Corn ProgramStep 1: Pre-planting System

• Broadcast 500 pounds Corn Row Starter. This amount varies depending on the amount of manure and Fall Blend that was previously applied and whether there was a cover crop.

• Spray broadcast Force at the rate of 10 gallons of Force to 20-30 gallons of water per acre pre-plant.

Step 2: Foliar System• Spray Force at the rate

of 5 gallons per acre every two weeks during the growing season.

Field Corn ProgramThere are different stages that a corn plant goes through during which it needs support to grow upward. Lancaster Ag has both Dry and Liquid Corn Row Starter for you to use to influence your corn crop. Your choice depends on the equipment you have available.

Dry fertilizer application recommendations:

• Broadcast up front• Alongside the row• Broadcast after

the corn is up• 250 lbs. dry

corn starter up front

Liquid fertilizer application recommendations:

• Broadcast up front• 2x2 alongside the row• Side dress at cultivation time• Foliar spray• Drop nozzle at tasseling• 15 gallons MPM or Cal-Phos• 5 gal. @ 12” and 5 gal. @ 24”-36”

Step 1: Tilling • If you have followed the fall

program, shallow till the soil of your field by your preferred method to prepare the soil for planting.

Step 2: Pre-planting• Spray apply SeedGro at the rate of 30 gal.

SeedGro with 30 gal. water per acre.

• Caution: Till only as much as necessary.

• Apply Garden Top Dress at the rate of 750 lb. per acre or 25 lb. per 1,000 sq. ft.

OR

• Apply Garden Top Dress at the rate of 5 lb. per 200-foot row after the seed is covered if it was not applied pre-planting

Step 3: Planting • When the soil is ready, plant your seeds.

Apply Garden Top Dress to the soil surface if it was not applied before planting, then lightly incorporate via cultivation. When it is time to plant your transplants, prepare a solution of RootPro (soil drench) and water by mixing them in a 1:1 ratio. Place this solution in a small bucket, then dip the entire root mass of transplants in the solution before placing them in the soil.

Step 4: Tissue Sampling • The foliar feed and drip systems should

be custom formulated according to the needs throughout the growing season via tissue samples taken every 2 to 3 weeks. Contact your Lancaster Ag Representative to have your leaf samples tested.

Step 5: Observation • Thoroughly observe the plants in your

produce acreage once a week. This will help you correct problems before they are out of control. Observe each type of plant for proper general appearance, structure, color, growth and reproduction. Also observe your plants for insect problems. Many insect problems begin on the underside of the leaf surface.

Step 6: Foliar Feeding • Alternate the following two products every

5-7 days during the growing season:

• 2 qt. Fruit Mix with as much water as possible (20 to 50 gal.) per acre

• 4 gal. F-1 with as much water as possible per acre

Step 7: Weed Control • Control weeds throughout the growing

season with plenty of perseverance by the method of your choice.

Step 8: Water Irrigation • Regulating your water irrigation continually

throughout the growing season is of utmost importance. If your plants are dry or excessively wet, the results can be disastrous. Water is the most important nutrient that you can apply to your produce.

Step 9: Drip Irrigation• Apply 4 oz. SeedGro per

100-foot row once a week

• Apply 2 oz. Premier per 100-foot row once a week

• After fruit sets to the size of a marble or golf ball, apply SeedGro and Premier twice a week

Spring & Summer Produce ProgramA very basic ingredient in growing produce is water. It is the most important nutrient that you the grower can apply to your acres of produce. Water can play a key role in the success of your produce. Success or failure can depend on the lack or excess of water. If you miss with irrigation, it does not matter how many nutrients you have applied up front, your yield in the end will be affected.

Please review the following steps carefully. This is a handy guide to help you plan for a successful growing season in your produce fields.

Note: If you are growing certified organic, please use all organic versions.

11

Programs

Pastures & Grasses ProgramLancaster Ag’s ultimate program for pastures includes one dry application in the spring and three liquid applications thereafter.

• Dry Blend in the fall

• 150 lb. dry Top Dress in mid-February when the weather is still cold

• 10 gal. MPM or Cal-Phos at greenup, March 25 - April 1

• 5 gal. MPM or Cal-Phos approx. May 15

• 5 gal. MPM or Cal-Phos approx. July 1

Garden Program: Spring Step 1: Ground Preparation

• Till the cover crop and let soil rest.• Work garden into a finished seedbed.

Step 2: Pre-plant• Apply SeedGro at the rate of 1 gal. per 1,000 sq. ft.• Apply Garden Top Dress at the

rate of 25 lb. per 1,000 sq. ft.• Till soil lightly.

Step 3: Side DressApply SeedGro at the rate of 1 pint SeedGro with 2 gal. water per 200-foot row every 2 weeks during the growing season or as needed for energy or growth.

Step 4: Foliar System Alternate the following two products every 5-7 days during the growing season:

• 1.5 oz. Fruit Mix with 1 gal. water per 1,000 sq. ft.• 1 pint F-1 with 1 gal. water per 1,000 sq. ft.

Note: If you are growing certified organic, please use all organic versions.

Alfalfa ProgramLancaster Ag’s recommendations will help farmers establish a healthy, nutritious stand of alfalfa. In the fall, apply Dry Blends to your stand. If you want consistent early growth in the spring, we recommend applying MPM or Cal-Phos with a liquid application at greenup and approximately every 45 days thereafter. In summary, the following is the Lancaster Ag’s Foliar Spray Schedule for optimum growth.

• At greenup• After first cutting• After second cutting• After third cutting

soil sample every 2-3

years!

DON’T FORGET

Berries ProgramFall Months

• Apply recommended Fall Blend amount before the end of December.

Early Spring• Apply 1 gal. SeedGro per 1,000 sq.

ft. in a 3-foot band at the base of the plants before leaf bud break.

One Month Before Harvest• Apply ½ gal. SeedGro per 1,000 sq. ft.

Two Weeks After Leaf Bud Break• Mix Fruit Mix at a rate of 1.5 oz. per 2.5

gal. water. Apply per 1,000 sq. ft. as a light mist beginning two weeks after leaf bud break and once a week thereafter.

• Mix F-1 at a rate of 5 oz. per 1 gal. water. Apply thoroughly to plants as a light mist beginning two weeks after leaf bud break and once a week thereafter.

Summer and Early Fall• Water well to replenish root reserves after

harvest. Berries need sufficient water throughout the summer and early fall as they prepare for next year’s crop yield.

Tip: Foliar applications are best in very early morning or late in the evening.

Naturally Interested

717-687-9222www.LancasterAg.com

Lancaster Ag Products60 N. Ronks RoadRonks, PA 17572

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Friday Evening: $15/person before Feb. 1 • $20 after Feb. 1 Saturday Conference: $35/person before Feb. 1 • $40 after Feb. 1

Register & pay online or by phone: (717) 687-9222 • www.LancasterAg.com

Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016

REAL HEALTHCONFERENCE

AGRICULTURE, FOOD & CANCERw/ Dr. Arden Andersen on

Friday evening, Feb. 12

31 seminars led by experts in sustainable & organic agriculture!

plus...

GMOs in Our Food Today Dr. Michael McNeill & Dr. Donald Huber

Inflammation in the Human Body Dr. Arden Andersen

Fermented Foods: Good for the Gut Jonathan & Nina White

Heritage Grain & Baking Jonathan & Nina White

Put the Life Back into Dairy & Cultured Butter Jonathan & Nina White

Udder Health Dr. Roger Scaletti

Organic Veterinary Care & Calf Rearing Dr. Paul Dettloff

Animal & Uterine Health Dr. Guy Jodarski

Minerals & Microbiology: A Productive Relationship Marc Tainio

Soil Health Evaluation Mark Fulford

The Amazing Mycorrhizal Fungi Dale Strickler

Dairy Nutrition through High-Quality Forages Dr.Paul Dettloff

Understanding Dairy Nutritional Components of Rations Gerry Roman

Dairy Herd Digestive Health Dr. Roger Scaletti

Importance & Function of Cover Crops Klaas Martens

Cover Crop Interseeding Tim Fritz

Building & Understanding Soil Klaas Martens

Orchard Health & Systems Michael Phillips

Livestock Selection, Herd Management & Herdsire/Breeding Gearld Fry

Why We Eat Clay Neal Bosshardt

Hormone & Thyroid Function Dr. Wilbert “Cal” Streeter

Paul I. SheafferInsurance Agency

BUSINESS ADVISORS ANDCERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

BUSINESS ADVISORS ANDCERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

BUSINESS ADVISORS ANDCERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

3”

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