Neal Kinsey's Hands-On Agronomy

367 Pages·2013·2.67 MB·English

by  Neal Kinsey

NEAL KINSEY’S
HANDS-ON AGRONOMY
Understanding Soil Fertility & Fertilizer Use
Before we start, please understand this material is not intended to be “the last
word on soil fertility.” It is only what I understand and use, explained to the best
of my ability so others can understand and use it to the best of their ability. I
have no secrets. I do not try to keep certain “keys” for myse1f. My biggest job is
to put everything I understand into terms which others can use.
The better a client understands this program, the better his or her results. My
best clients are those who strive the hardest to learn and apply what the soil tests
show to be needed.
— Neal Kinsey
NEAL KINSEY’S
HANDS-ON AGRONOMY
Understanding Soil Fertility & Fertilizer Use
by Neal Kinsey & Charles Walters
Acres U.S.A.
Austin, Texas
Neal Kinsey’s
Hands-on Agronomy
Copyright © 1993, 2013, Acres U.S.A.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval
systems, without permission in writing from the publisher.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge.
Because the publisher cannot control field conditions and how this information
is utilized, all recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of Acres
U.S.A. The publisher disclaims any liability in connection with the use or misuse
of this information.
Acres U.S.A., Inc.
P.O. Box 301209
Austin, Texas 78703 U.S.A.
[phone] • fax [phone]
[email protected] • www.acresusa.com
About the cover photo: This picture of the author, at home in his vegetable
garden, was taken in the winter of 1993. The straw was later used for mulching
the garden of 3,000 square feet. The farmstead in the background is that of
Kinsey’s neighbor and first client in the state of Missouri, who began using
Kinsey Agricultural Services in 1973. (Photo by Linda M. Kinsey.)
Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication
Kinsey, Neal & Walters, Charles, 1926-2009
Neal Kinsey’s hands-on agronomy / by Neal Kinsey and Charles Walters.
xxii, 391 pp., 23 cm, charts, tables.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
3rd edition
ISBN: 978-1-60173-040-4
1. Agronomy. 2. Soil science. I. Kinsey, Neal & Walters, Charles, 1926-2009 II.
Title
S591.K56 2013 631.4
Dedication
This book is dedicated to individuals who helped provide the support and
experience that made it possible. First and foremost, to my wife, Linda, whose
support made all this possible; to my good friend, Dale Schurter, an excellent
teacher, and the best boss I ever worked for; to the late William A. Albrecht, who
provided a solid foundation on which to build; and especially to all the clients
who have faithfully practiced the program over the years.
About Soil Fertility &
Fertilization Specialist Neal
Kinsey
Neal Kinsey has been called a “consultant’s consultant.” He specializes in
only one thing—building and maintaining soil for quality crop production. In
addition to consulting on standard crops such as corn, cotton, soybeans, rice,
wheat and grain sorghum, and forage crops including alfalfa, pastures, clovers,
and even specialty crops such as melons, almonds, avocados, bananas, berries,
coffee, citrus, grapes and peaches, Kinsey also helps growers working with turf,
landscape plantings, and lawn care.
His biography is contained as a broad outline in this book. In discussing sound
agronomy practices, there is neither the time nor the space to tell all here, but the
foundational principles are given in as much detail as possible. For instance, it
was once standard practice to provide free lawn or garden sampling to any
farmer who employed Neal on his total farmable land of 200 acres or more.
Though this was begun as a token of appreciation, it turned out to be a valuable
source of knowledge when the opportunity arrived to begin working on
commercial vegetable production, and with large-scale lawn, landscape and
nursery stock production, and when golf courses were also added to his list of
clients.
In time, various companies and private consultants began to call for possible
help in growing crops such as winegrapes, potatoes, citrus, sugar cane, tobacco
and tomatoes. To cope with the demand for information, training sessions for
clients were begun. These have now expanded to two-and three-day seminars
several times a year.
Foreign work followed, and so coffee and banana production were added to
crop experiences. Popcorn, timber and turf grass production came along in the
early 1980s, followed closely by rapeseed and ornamentals. Peanut and
commercial herb growers signed up. All of these crops helped to demonstrate
that supplying the correct fertility to achieve a proper balance worked in all
types of agriculture.
types of agriculture.
The mail and UPS bring soil samples routinely to Neal Kinsey’s service. Thus
Canada and the United States have added sunflowers, flax and mustard seed to
the consultation service agenda. Mexico added several commercial vegetables,
fruits and agave. Various new crops from Asia, including mangoes, spices and
medicinal plants for the commercial market also added to acreages and
experience. Although work with walnuts, almonds and pecans paced the opening
of new frontiers, eco-agriculture didn’t become significant until the late 1980s.
Neal grew up in southeast Missouri and worked on the farm for his father until
he graduated from high school. To pay his way through college, he worked part-
time and summers as a crop reporter for the USDA’s ASCS in Missouri and
Illinois. He obtained his B.S. degree in marketing from Southern Illinois
University at Carbondale. In the fall of 1966, Neal enrolled in a master’s degree
program in Food Industry Logistics in Agricultural Economics at University of
Missouri, Columbia. Here is where he first met Dr. William A. Albrecht, who
later provided the technical training in soil fertility required by his present
profession.
In 1968, Neal and his wife, Linda, moved to Texas. He took a job with a large
environmental research project conducted by Ambassador College at Big Sandy.
He eventually became assistant to the director. Later, he became business
manager, and ultimately agricultural operations manager for the Ambassador
College Agriculture Department. While serving in this capacity, he became a
certified consultant for Brookside Farms Laboratory of New Knoxville, Ohio. In
1977, Neal established Kinsey Agricultural Services, and now works with
growers in all 50 of the United States. He has received soil samples from over 70
other countries, many of which send more samples for analysis annually than
several of the individual states here in the U.S.