Page 33 - Logan County Farm Outlook - Spring 2013

there to make it worth the planting and
harvest expense. He noted that in this
region as opposed to more southerly
regions, the growing season is a little
too tight. For example, prime planting
dates in Logan County are mid-August
to mid-October, while in Perry County,
approximately 170 miles due south, the
planting season is Sept. 1 to Nov. 1 for
winter wheat.
Another cash cover crop trying tomake
its way into the Midwest is pennycress.
This oilseed crop is being marketed as
a non-food-competitive alternative for
biodiesel and aviation jet fuels.
Towery said pennycress will someday
be a viable alternative for Midwest
farmers, but he doesn’t think it is
here yet. He referred to it as still in its
experimental stages, but said it shows
promise.
Pennycress is planted in September,
will overwinter and is harvested in
late spring. It produces a small, deep
reddish-brown seed that has 36 percent
oil content. Soybeans, in comparison,
have only 18 percent oil content.
Towery said that right now one of the
biggest stumbling blocks the product is
facing is yield. He said test plots have
shown a yield of 700 pounds per acre,
but in less controlled environments, the
yields aren’t there, not even close. He
said he felt like the company offering
the product will overcome that problem,
and pennycress is something we may
see more of in the future.
[Nila Smith]
2013 LOGAN COUNTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE. LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com March 21, 2013
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