Solomon Hutchins

Machines that we were shown was the combine which harvested the wheat 

Mark, Kelly, Andrea and I went to the National wheat foundation tour at Eric spates farm located in Poolesville. While down there we were given a tour of the farm and materials and proper ways to store chemicals within storage areas one of the areas contained an inward dip so any fungicide or chemical spills would not leak out of the storage area causing damage to plants.

Some other important steps included ventilation to avoid a buildup of fumes. The farmer also explained that when using any type of fungicide or chemical it's important to think about human and environmental safety.

As learning about nitrogen and its importance to plants and how because soybeans are a legume type of plant, they are able to fix their own Nitrogen from the atmosphere through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobium bacteria. 

 

That said wheat and corn does not have this capability so when planting soybeans before a corn or wheat crop all that nitrogen soaked up by soybeans go into the earth working as a cover crop and other crops hairy vetch, lentil, crimson clover, mentioned give other benefits nourishing and sustaining soil.

We were also shown the farm equipment used for harvesting wheat heads and the purpose of leaving straw on the field, doing this allows the soil to break down important materials in the straw for your field and future crops which is more beneficial than selling your straw.