Dryland Farming

Dryland Farming

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
As far back as 1812, the Lawyers Canyon train trestle which had a length of 488 feet and a height of 287 feet bridged a gap between Lewiston and Grangeville. It was a great area for farming and still is today. This country is for dryland farmers and for dryland farmers up here in North Idaho, the spring of 2018 is much different than last year. “This is quite a bit better because last year, I didn’t get to plant. It was too wet. We only planted two or 300 acres. We had over a thousand acres which prevented planting. So, it’s pretty nice to be able to get it in.” Tom Mossman is planting spring canola seed. The dust trail left behind on his field located on the rim of Lawyers Canyon on Camas Prairie near Nez Perce illustrates the dry conditions needed for a successful plant. “This is a GMO, it is Roundup ready canola and so, when it gets up growing good, just before it covers the whole ground, before it canopies over, will come in and kill all the weeds in the field except for the canola. Hopefully we’ll get a little moisture in June, not too hot, and that’s when it will start blooming, harvest will be toward the end of August.” And while father Tom does his farm work on the ground, his son Matt is spring farming from the air.
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