Soybean Grower Saves Over $100,000
Input Cost Savings Add Up for Indiana Farm in Three-Year Biological Liquid Fertilizer Trial

Top: Nestled in Southern Parke County, Indiana about 30 miles east of Terra Haute, Mace Farms consists of around 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans. (left:) Lifelong Indiana farmer, Rod Mace

Mace's low input, high-yield soybean field Take on-farm research to the bank (INDIANA) -- On-farm research is a source of real profit you can take to the bank.  Farmers are fine-tuning university recommendations, testing new  products, and evaluating production practices. The results are helping shave input costs and boost yields. And, it’s being done with the “scientific method” that has farmers talking with Ph.D.s in the same language -- FURROW MAGAZINE,

Results Overview

Mace Farms,  Parke County, Indiana, 2006 -- After  three years of treatment with Pro-Soil's Foundation 1-0-1  Biological Fertilizer and Soil Bio Stimulant, the results were as follows:

Fertilizer Costs: Mace cut back $25 an acre  on  P&K and dropped his applied nitrogen down from 180 lbs. to 147 lbs. of 28-0-0 without reducing yield.

Root Mass: In side-by-side comparisons, roots from biologically treated corn and soybean fields averaged two to three times more mass and had more nitrogen fixing nodes than ever recorded on the Indiana farm. Making a round on a disk chisel 1,243 feet through and back pulled up an unbelievable 32 pounds of wet soybean roots -- which incredibly, did not include any roots from weeds.

"The guys didn't believe it, but I have pictures." Mace says.

Test Weights & Yields:  82 bushels of soybeans ran 59.2 across the scales -- a Mace Farm record, also purported to be among the highest soybean test weights in the state.

	Parke County, Indiana: Rod Mace pulled up 32 pounds of   wet soybean roots in a 1,243 ft. pass on a disk chisel.

"It was a good year in Indiana last year, but nobody topped us," Mace says.

Soybean Plant Health: Almost no sudden death spots in biologically treated soybeans compared to previous seasons without the biological product.

"... it has without a doubt improved our plant health,"  Mace says. 

Soil Health:  Noting a significant  improvement in soil structure, softness and earthworm population, Mace says his farm ground is in better shape than it has ever been.

"...every single root we pull up has an earth worm on it and some of them have two,"  he says.

Input Costs: During his third year on the program, Mace estimates that he cut input costs on his farm by nearly $100.000 with reductions he made in Nitrogen and P&K alone.

Background

Rod Mace began searching for more profitable ways to farm in the Spring of 1986 when low grain prices, high input cost, and costly operation expenses forced the Mace brothers to dissolve their family partnership.

Today, Mace avoids those costly pitfalls by "working with nature" to maximize soil and plant health and minimize dependence on expensive fertilizers and chemicals. 

"Ideally, I'd like to put the lowest possible input cost into the land and let nature do the rest,"  Mace says.

Fertility Methods & Materials

Three-year On-Farm Corn & Soybean Trial

Mace applied 12.08 ounces of Pro-Soil Foundation 1-0-1 Biological Liquid Fertilizer directly in row with the seed on all of his corn and soybean acres at planting; followed by an additional 12.08 ounces per acre broadcast application in the Fall.

As the biology improved his soil, he was able to reduced the rate of applied fertility and chemicals following  Pro-Soil's Gradual Reduction Program. He dropped the rate of nitrogen fertilizer down -- but applied it at different times.

"That's the key on this program. 'Spoon feeding' is what I call it," Mace says.

Summary