Yep, I've decided the old timers (and I use that phrase very loosely) knew what they were talking about all these year. If dryland corn was meant to be grown in this area, we'd see 1000's of acres every year, not just a few 100 like we have lately. Seed genetics can only carry so much of the weight. My guess is we can successfully grow it 1 maybe 2 years out of a 10 year stretch. If I'd know what years they were, I'd continue to plant 1/3 of my acres to corn. Fallow needs to be worked back into a successful crop rotation in this area. Move just a few miles east of me and that whole philosophy changes. I'm not sure, but I think the night time heat around here does as much harm as our limited rainfall.
The local producers who have the best looking crops year after year have a certain percentage of their acres fallow each year. I might consider some cover crops that I can hay in the early summer months instead of fallowing, but haven't completely made a decision on that either.
