Western Nebraska farmer Chris Bartels is trying something new. On his dryland field where he would normally have bare ground, he is planting black medic, an annual relative of alfalfa. By growing the medic, Bartels hopes to prevent soil erosion, and by grazing it in the spring, he hopes to earn some extra income. This system of using an annual pasture-wheat rotation, known as the "ley" system, is a popular dryland cropping strategy in Australia.
In Western Nebraska’s dryland fields, farmers often plant crops every other year. The year without a crop, or fallow year, is used to conserve soil moisture. The moisture is then available for use by the following year’s crop. It works, but at most saves only a quarter of all the moisture that falls on the land. By growing a crop instead of fallowing, more of the available water might be used.
Bartels and his wife, Susan, are experimenting with medic on their farm just north of Alliance as members of a group called Legumes Anonymous. For them, a fallow field means no crop and no income from that land. They hope that the medic will provide income as a good quality forage for their calves in the spring and summer.
In normal fallow, the weeds in fallow fields are controlled with cultivation to conserve moisture. This can leave the ground exposed and prone to soil erosion in high spring winds. Bartels hopes the medic crop will reduce soil erosion and also compete with the weeds.
By planting medic, the Bartels want to reduce their nitrogen fertilizer applications. The medic, because it is a legume, can take the nitrogen it needs from the air instead of the soil. When it is turned under in the fall, the nitrogen in the plants will become available to the following wheat crop. If the timing is right, the wheat may be able to meet all of its nitrogen needs from the decaying medic plants.
Planting medic is new to the area, so the Bartels have had to learn by trial and error. In 1996, they first tried planting medic into millet stubble. It didn’t come up. In August 1997, Bartels drilled 10 pounds of medic seed per acre into a bare field. This time it sprouted. The medic overwintered and is growing quickly this spring.
The Bartels will monitor the effects of the medic in several ways. They will analyze soils for nitrogen before the wheat crop is planted. They will test the medic’s forage quality and keep track of the weight gain by the calves while grazing the medic. They will also compare the weed populations in the medic and a fallow field.
Although the results won’t be known until the 1999 wheat crop is harvested, the Bartels think they are on to something good. Now they are looking for other ways to improve their operation. Holistic Management, intensive grazing, and planting other medics are just a few of their interests. Why do they bother to try different things? Bartels replies that, "the environment and wildlife are at risk because of some farming practices." Perhaps the Bartels' work with black medic will show others how to profit from preventing soil erosion.
Contacts: Chris and Susan Bartels, Alliance, 308-762-4859