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Summer is still in full swing here at Ortman Farms, and our fields are bustling with activity. One of our main focuses right now is preparing to harvest our mature rye crop. Typically, rye is harvested in late summer. Usually around the end of July when the rye heads have fully dried and reached peak maturity. We rely on our John Deere Combine Harvester for this task, which efficiently separates the grain from the straw. Once separated, the straw can either be baled for use as animal feed or bedding, or left in the field as residue to enhance soil health and fertility for future crops. An essential factor in harvesting rye is monitoring the moisture content of the grain. Ideally, it should be no more than 15% to ensure safe storage. Grain stored with too much moisture is prone to heating and mold growth, which can compromise quality and lead to spoilage. Our haying season is also well underway.
The first cutting of hay is complete, and we are just a couple of weeks away from the second cutting. The second cutting is especially valuable. It is typically harvested sooner and contains more tender, leafy material with thinner stems. This results in a higher concentration of digestible nutrients, especially protein, which is essential for supporting strong milk production in our dairy herd.
Meanwhile, our corn and soybean crops are finally progressing well. We experienced a challenging start to the growing season due to the unseasonably cold and rainy weather in late May and early June. It wasn't until July that we finally received the warmth our crops needed to accelerate growth. Now, with the summer heat settling in, both crops are catching up and looking much healthier.
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Looking ahead, one of our next important tasks will be managing the manure pit. As we approach the fall season, we'll need to start planning to empty the pit to make room for the winter's worth of manure generated by our dairy cows. Timely emptying allows us to use the nutrient-rich manure as a natural fertilizer for our fields, closing the loop in our farm's sustainability efforts.
As always, there's never a dull moment here at Ortman Farms, and we're grateful for the opportunity to continue growing healthy crops and caring for our livestock during this busy season.
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Every Saturday & Sunday, Noon - 4:00pm. Located at Kinney Drugs parking lot, 300 Main St, Massena, NY 13662. Come check us out! We have a full assortment of products available to purchase.