"Prairierth Farm is 300 acres producing corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, alfalfa (as a crop and cover crop), beef, broilers, and eggs. We also raise about one acre of vegetable crops. I have been operating this farm for 30 years. Rotations are generally 4 year with a full year in legume. Weed control strategy is rotations and mechanical tillage. Livestock is pasture raised using multi-species MIG system."

Prairierth is an integrated crops/livestock operation.

Production approach is: Certified organic

Rotations: Alfalfa-corn-soybean-wheat-alfalfa

Cover crops: Alfalfa

IPM used: Rotations, timely tillage

Tillage: Moldboard plow, disking (after weeds flush), rotary hoe (2x), row cultivation (2-3x), use of potato hillers if needed to cover weeds in row.

Soil amendment program: Fertrell suppliments (if needed), kelp meal (if needed). Paying closer attention to soil biology and tissue testing.

Soil tests: Click HERE.

Farm was visited on 4/29/09. Thistle was identified on the edge of an old waterway in an second-year alfalfa field currently in transition to organic. Area is small, but will be used to test recommendations for chemical-free thistle control. Farmer is planning to plant organic corn in the test field in 2001, and has agreed to use this year to test our recommendations for controlling the Canada thistle in preparation for the corn crop. The following plan was developed with Dave:

1. Till multiple times. The small area comprising the old waterway will be moldboard plowed, then disked several times to break up thistle roots in the top soil layer and keep thistles from sprouting and flowering.

2. Plant sudan grass. Seed will be located and sudan grass will be planted in early June at a recommended rate of 55 lbs/acres in areas tilled.

3. Mow at 4'. Sudan grass will be mowed just as thistles are starting to flower. Sudan should be at least 4' tall. Farmer will use a flail mower.

4. Sudan will be mowed again. A second mowing will help build up a thick layer of biomass to smother thistle.

5. Sudan will be tilled under in Fall.




Second visit to Dave Bishop's farm was conducted August 17, 2009. Dave reported the thistle patch was tilled and planted to sudangrass on June 11, 2009. At the time of the second visit, sudangrass was 6'+ tall and thick. No thistle was observed growing in the standing sudangrass. Dave plans to mow down sudangrass this week, if weather allows.

Follow up contact will be made next Spring to determine measure of thistle sprouting in the treated area.

A brix reading was taken on a single stalk of sudangrass taken from the treated area. Brix reading was 5.


Growing sudangrass the Bishop plot location.