EasternIowaFarmer_Fall2023
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HAYMAKERS<br />
Heading relies heavily on weather advice<br />
from the National Weather Service in the<br />
Quad Cities.<br />
“They’re happy to help call ins. We can<br />
make decisions on baling pretty accurately<br />
with their information and anyone can<br />
call them,” he said.<br />
Certification, on-farm inspection by<br />
a third party hired to verify organic<br />
standards are being met, is done for an<br />
Ohio-based organic agency.<br />
The farm west of Andrew is now in<br />
the second year of a three-year certification<br />
process. The home farm has been<br />
certified since 2018. The issue of quality<br />
is dear to Heading’s idea of producing<br />
a premium bale of hay. Every cutting is<br />
tested at a regional lab and both seller<br />
and buyer have access to the results.<br />
Heading points to the exhaustive testing<br />
– 30,000 tests by the Fulton, Illinois-firm<br />
Analab – to establish benchmarks of<br />
quality verification accessible to all. Of<br />
the numbers important to staying at the<br />
top of the heap in quality Heading pays<br />
special attention to the RFQ (Relative<br />
Feed Quality), crude protein, RDN (total<br />
digestibl nutrients).<br />
Heading is geared for sales of hay in<br />
semi loads. The hay is stored in the field<br />
and that means wrapping. A linear bale<br />
carrier works well with the wrapper.<br />
The heart of the operation is a McHale<br />
big round baler. The Irish-built baler<br />
has performed well. To power the baler<br />
Heading uses a Massey-Ferguson 140<br />
tractor.<br />
In a region characterized by corn and<br />
soybeans the Heading family has found a<br />
niche for a product they can produce and<br />
do so with value added beyond being a<br />
commodity item. The prospect for forage<br />
production is problematic. In recent<br />
years corn and soybeans have become<br />
the focus of production as pasture and<br />
hay acreage have stagnated. The Heading<br />
family has shown there is a bright future<br />
for well managed hay acres. n<br />
OFFERING THE WIDEST<br />
SELECTION OF SEED IN THE<br />
TRI-STATE AREA<br />
• Alfalfa<br />
• Pasture Mixes<br />
• Corn<br />
• Soybeans<br />
• Small Grains<br />
• Lawn Seed<br />
• Cover Crops<br />
• Custom Mixes<br />
• Seed for CRP<br />
• Pollinator Mixes<br />
17724 Hwy. 136 • Onslow, IA • (800) 470-3325<br />
WWW.WELTERSEED.COM<br />
36 EASTERN IOWA FARMER | FALL 2023 eifarmer.com
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