But we do have control over cultural methods. At Interlake Forage Seeds we have not re-invented the wheel, but garnered together different ideas from Minnesota, North Dakota as well as from Southern Manitoba. Both manufacturers such as Elmer's Manufacturing and sugar beet growers have helped in developing our strategy in row cropping. We use interrow spraying on crops like birdsfoot trefoil and interrow tillage on crops like alfalfa and native grasses. Firstly, some of the problems with row cropping.
Capital investment can be large when doing big acres.
Older 12 row, 22-inch equipment can be bought in sugar beet country and often a chore tractor can be modified for row cropping for a few acres. But for large acres newer commercial equipment is needed. Another challenge is finding skilled labor that has the training and smarts to operate this gear. A few years back, a careless operator wiped out a stand of breeder seed when his sprayer was not following the tractor properly, not an uncommon event. Going out with smaller toolbars does eat up the hours.