May 2022 - 5

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W
ith deep roots in
agriculture, Kirby
Johnson intimately
understands the importance of
protecting his soil's productivity for
future generations.
A seventh-generation
Henderson County, North Carolina,
farmer, Johnson's ancestors
were Irish potato growers. They
immigrated to Virginia to farm
potatoes, and later moved to
North Carolina, swapping to
vegetable and fruit crops. Today,
the family farms in North Carolina,
Georgia and Florida.
His dad was one of 13 children,
so Johnson has 52 cousins. Of
those, at least 12 are involved
in production agriculture, but
Johnson is the only farmer in his
generation. His crops include
tomatoes, squash, peppers, green
beans and sweet corn.
" We are limited on available
land in this area, so the higher
the value the crop the better, "
Johnson says.
To ensure Johnson's Mountain
Bean Growers in Mills River, North
Carolina, can support future
generations, he is taking several
steps to ensure productivity
remains high while also prioritizing
soil health.
One way he cares for his soil is
through crop rotation. Johnson
plants two years of tomatoes
followed by three years of sweet
corn. He has also rotated sweet
corn and green bean crops in
the past.
" The corn crop really builds up
the soil, " Johnson says. " Rotation
up here is key because tomatoes
and peppers can really suck a lot
out of the soil and corn does not
pull those nutrients out of the
ground. "
As soon as sweet corn
is harvested, the field is
bushhogged, which increases
organic matter in the soil and
improves nitrogen levels.
" The tall corn stalks are solid
Healthy Soils and High Yields
Conservation and thrips control are key to productivity
Kirby Johnson, Terry Walker and Corey Price of Mountain Bean
Growers.
nitrogen, " Johnson says. " We also
plant cover crops to add nitrogen
to the soil and to help prevent soil
erosion. I don't want my dirt to go
to Tennessee. Our cover crop holds
that soil here in Mills River, North
Carolina, and keeps flooding rains
from eroding our soil. "
In most years, Johnson plants
wheat as the primary winter cover
crop. Some fields may get a rye
cover crop and turnips or tillage
radishes may be added to the mix
to reduce soil compaction.
" We have a broad range of
soil types, and each soil type has
different needs, " Johnson says.
" Close to the river our farmland
is sandy soil, then the soil gets
darker and harder as you move
away from the river. "
While soil health is important to
the farm's sustainability, controlling
insect pests is also critical to
maintaining profitability.
" Ensuring our crops make it to
market healthy and blemish-free
requires a focus on thrips control, "
Johnson says.
He rotates Radiant®
SC
insecticide with Lannate®
LV
insecticide to minimize costly
thrips damage.
" Radiant is our premier product
for western flower thrips control, "
Johnson says. " But because you
can't throw only one product at
them anymore, we rotate modes
of action to maintain thrips control
and minimize potential resistance
development. "
With 100 acres of greenhouses
within a mile of the North Carolina
farm, Johnson is especially
cognizant of crop timing. " Thrips
infestations will often migrate
from greenhouses into our fields, "
he says.
" If we find one western flower
thrips in our tomato or pepper
crops, we start spraying. If you find
one, you can guarantee there are
more out there you won't find, "
Johnson says. " Thrips get down
in that bloom and hide from you.
Thrips damage the tomato or
pepper when the bloom is the size
of a ballpoint pen, and it will carry
that damage all the way through
the season. "
Johnson and his team
continue monitoring insect
pest populations throughout
the season to determine if
subsequent sprays are needed.
" We also rely heavily on the
advice and expertise of the
experts at North Carolina State
University at their Mills River,
North Carolina, research station, "
Johnson adds.
Find out how Radiant can help
you reach your yield goals. Visit
RadiantSC.Corteva.US.

http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com http://RadiantSC.Corteva.US

May 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2022