Harrow, cultivator and roller
Within the framework of the "boden:standig" initiative in the project area of seblach, the coburg office for food, agriculture and forestry (AELF), the office for rural development of upper franconia (ALE) and BBV landsiedlung had invited to a joint field demonstration. Seven different tillage implements for cultivating an intercrop stand before corn sowing could be assessed in action on a trial field between dietersdorf and hattersdorf. The children were automatically entered into a raffle for a "pit lane ticket". The usual equipment of local farmers, such as cultivators, disc harrows and power harrows, was used, as well as equipment ordered exclusively to seblach: a machine equipped with loosening tines for strip tillage, a special power harrow with so-called samurai tines, and a cutter roller in combination with a flat cultivator. Plant cultivation advisor anton weig from AELF coburg presented the different devices and assessed the work result. The most important factors are maintaining the optimum cultivation depth, good mixing of the cultivated soil and complete mechanical control of the weeds present.
Food of the rain worm
Also very important is how much mulch material is left on the ground surface after tilling. The aim here is to achieve as high a degree of coverage as possible, so that in the event of heavy rainfall the arable land continues to be protected from erosion to the best possible extent. In addition, the plant residues remaining on the surface serve as food for earthworms.
In addition to the different techniques, the interested farmers present were also able to compare different varieties of intercrop mixtures that had already been used in the field as a show trial in the fall of 2017. Water consultant gesche petersen from the AELF coburg briefly presented the different intercrops that had been sown.
The intensive discussion once again showed that farmers are very interested in ways to improve soil and water conservation.
