Whitefall Farms

A.J. Nuckols farms beef, poultry, switchgrass, a pumpkin patch, and use to grow tobacco. Switchgrass is his main focus. It is a perennial crop that like hot and dry weather. It normally takes 2-3 years for a stand to mature and be profitable.  Mr. Nuckols grows a total of 50 acres of switchgrass and cuts it for hay.  On a good year he can get 3 cuttings out of a stand.

When putting down nitrogen if 0 lbs are put down there is 2-3 tons of biomass produced, 100 lbs of nitrogen produce 5 tons of biomass. Typically switchgrass is baled in January but this past year he was able to wait until March because of the harsh winter. He also plants it in his pasture to strip graze. Switchgrass is really good for wildlife as well.

The grass clumps allow smaller young such as quails to make it through the plots. Some say that it is not necessary to ever fertilize switchgrass but Mr. Nuckols thinks that it is necessary. He does have research plots for Virginia Tech that receive no nitrogen. There are 12 plots, each are 1 acre. There are 4 repetitions of 3 different types. All of the borders of the plots are mowed and the plots are harvested in January.

This information is suited for someone who wants to go into the agronomy field.  It will be useful to farmers when trying to feed cattle with a perennial crop.