What are they doing????

yockey5 · September 28, 2011, 02:58:31 PM

Every year about this time a crop duster/sprayer does a lot of overhead flying nearby. This fall they are doing it on bean fields just north (300 yards?) of my place. What do you think they are spraying/dusting for this late in the season?
Hope my bees are ok, it is raining so maybe?

boca · September 28, 2011, 03:36:56 PM

I guess they are preparing the harvest. Several days before harvesting the whole field is killed with a herbicide. Many weedkiller can be used for this, most likely the cheap Glyphosate. It makes easier the combine's work and reduces the moisture content.
The method is often used on sunflower, soya and other beans.

LoriMNnice · September 28, 2011, 03:58:15 PM

Quote from: boca on September 28, 2011, 03:36:56 PM
I guess they are preparing the harvest. Several days before harvesting the whole field is killed with a herbicide. Many weedkiller can be used for this, most likely the cheap Glyphosate. It makes easier the combine's work and reduces the moisture content.
The method is often used on sunflower, soya and other beans.

I agree this is from the agweb site

Applying a trusted herbicide as a harvest aid can provide fast soybean desiccation and offer improved flexibility, control and efficiency at harvest by drying out stalks and green foliage in just 24 to 48 hours.

A harvest aid gives you the ability to speed up your harvest by desiccating weeds, and green leaves and stems that could interfere with harvest. It not only provides more control over harvest timing, but also increases combine efficiency and speed while decreasing wear and tear, all while keeping the combine running smoothly.

yockey5 · September 28, 2011, 04:03:15 PM

Nothing in today's farming is as it used to be 'in my time'!!!! Thanks to all of you for the info.

Michael Bush · September 28, 2011, 11:09:28 PM

Wow! Good to know they not only spray them with roundup during the year but they give them one last does of herbicide before they harvest it to feed it to me... wouldn't want it to all wash off...

indypartridge · September 29, 2011, 07:21:18 AM

Quote from: yockey5 on September 28, 2011, 02:58:31 PM
... just north (300 yards?) of my place. What do you think they are spraying/dusting for this late in the season?

Why don't you walk over and ask? Be neighborly. Explain that you're a beekeeper. Ask, in general, what kinds of herbicides & pesticides they use, and could they give you a 'heads up' in the future before they spray.

yockey5 · September 29, 2011, 11:56:03 AM

Quote from: indypartridge on September 29, 2011, 07:21:18 AM
Quote from: yockey5 on September 28, 2011, 02:58:31 PM
... just north (300 yards?) of my place. What do you think they are spraying/dusting for this late in the season?
Why don't you walk over and ask? Be neighborly. Explain that you're a beekeeper. Ask, in general, what kinds of herbicides & pesticides they use, and could they give you a 'heads up' in the future before they spray.

1.] he/she was in an airplane.
2.] I don't know who is farming this land.

NJClydeDriver · September 29, 2011, 02:17:23 PM

I know I was able to register my location of hives with my county, and they leave a recorded warning 2 days before they spray, and the exact locations that they will be in. Its great to have them actually warn the beek and let them take action or choose to let it go, if its not close. Got called last week for mosquito spraying at night since we have had all the rain and standing water.
J

BlueBee · September 29, 2011, 02:49:54 PM

Good question. I wonder what they are spraying too....this time of year :?

This part of Michigan is filled with soybeans and I have NEVER seen anybody spraying them at the end of the season. They only spray roundup (glyphosate) here in the start of the season to kill weed seedlings.

What boca and Lori says makes some scientific sense, but evidently it doesn't make economic sense in my climate. If soy beans can dry out in time for harvest in Michigan, I would think they could in Indiana too. Let us know what you find out.

yockey5 · September 29, 2011, 03:16:17 PM

Same plane is spraying about a 1/4 mile south of me today.

LoriMNnice · September 29, 2011, 04:13:08 PM

Quote from: BlueBee on September 29, 2011, 02:49:54 PM
Good question. I wonder what they are spraying too....this time of year :?

This part of Michigan is filled with soybeans and I have NEVER seen anybody spraying them at the end of the season. They only spray roundup (glyphosate) here in the start of the season to kill weed seedlings.

What boca and Lori says makes some scientific sense, but evidently it doesn't make economic sense in my climate. If soy beans can dry out in time for harvest in Michigan, I would think they could in Indiana too. Let us know what you find out.

I know it doesn't make scientific sense but I think it has do with money because prices on grains etc. change everyday and if the farmer feels he will get more money by getting his crop in earlier then he may choose to do the spraying to dry it out sooner so he can pick it sooner to get top dollar. This is just my speculation.

yockey5 · September 29, 2011, 04:47:54 PM

Those that planted soy beans after they harvested wheat this year are in danger of losing the bean crop. Maybe this is why?

Scadsobees · September 29, 2011, 05:04:49 PM

Quote from: yockey5 on September 29, 2011, 11:56:03 AM
Why don't you walk over and ask? Be neighborly. Explain that you're a beekeeper. Ask, in general, what kinds of herbicides & pesticides they use, and could they give you a 'heads up' in the future before they spray.

1.] he/she was in an airplane.
2.] I don't know who is farming this land.
[/quote]

LOL! Run really fast and use a big bullhorn!! :-D

nella · September 29, 2011, 05:09:40 PM

They could be doing aerial seeding.

John Adams · September 30, 2011, 11:29:30 AM

As a cropduster I would like to give my 2 cents. If the crop is soybeans he is probably doing some form of herbecide application to kill johnson grass, morning glories etc. Morning glories especially reak havoc on the farmer when combining as the vines get wrapped around EVERYTHING and plug the feeder house. What we are spraying in Alabama now is cotton(defoliating) and late season roundup work to clean up the beans.