Bob incorporates the hay regrowth in April of year five for early soil-building and to provide organic matter for the fall wheat crop. If the alfalfa does not survive, he plants peas in the spring of the fourth year followed by winter wheat in the fall. Every year is different. You begin to see patterns. Learning how to respond to the differences is the biggest challenge, but that's also half the fun.
Volunteer plants are also a problem with some crops.
Again, Bob minimizes the nuisance of volunteers through his planned rotations. Crops that are prone to produce volunteers in the following season are never followed by similar grains. For instance, he has learned not to follow spring wheat with Kamut or soft white wheat. Balancing all of these agronomic factors with market demand takes close observation and shrewd planning. For example, Kamut is currently a good crop from an economic standpoint, but it may not be best for the farm agronomically.