When you have a farm, you know harvest season is oh so important to your bottom line. Should you have a great harvest, things are fantastic. Should your harvest fail to meet expectations, it can make a tough situation even tougher. Like anything else in life, having a great harvest season involves plenty of preparation. To make sure you are the best-prepared farmer for the upcoming harvest season, here are some things you should start doing at once.
Prepare the Soil
To have a great harvest, you first need to have great soil. Therefore, you should prepare your soil well before your next harvest. To do so, you can clear away stalks and stems from the current harvest, or instead till the ground and let the remaining plant matter become a compost, where it can nourish the soil. If you suspect problems with your soil, have it tested so that the necessary fertilizers and nutrients can be added.
Check Over Your Equipment
Just as you need good soil for a harvest, you also need the proper equipment to plant and gather your crops as they grow. Since this equipment is subject to large amounts of wear and tear, check it over carefully to see if anything needs to be repaired or replaced. While you are at it, rely on good suppliers like Bane-Welker Equipment to get various parts you may need for your equipment, such as belts, bearings, roller chains, and anything else that may come in handy.
Inspect Silos and Storage Bins
Harvesting even the best of crops won’t do much good if you don’t have silos and storage bins that can be used for the crops. If you fail to regularly inspect your farm’s silos and storage bins, you may find cracks and other problems at the most inconvenient times. Should you store crops in a damaged silo or storage bin, your crops could be subjected to various pests, moisture, and other problems.
Think About Past Problems
If you had problems with your previous crops, think about what went wrong, why it happened, and what options you may have to make things better the next time around. For example, if your crops are not getting enough sunlight, consider planting certain crops in a different area on your farm. By using the off-season to your advantage, you can find solutions to even the most complex problems.
Once you ready your soil and equipment, check over your storage areas and make sure what went wrong last year doesn’t happen again this year. By following these tips, you should have a harvest that will exceed your wildest expectations.
