Sunday, Howard fielded a call from a cattle rancher who bought mollasses cattle feed in Houston for $17.00 a ton. Howard asked him to forward him the info. Will this be posted when it arrives? How can we find out?

Don Grantham

I'll be happy to it if he sends the information. On the other hand, isn't molasses feed cheap at all the feed stores?

My feed store sells me molasses with urea for
$1.00.gal and he is 10 minutes away. Ronnie
Felderhoff will sell organic molasses with out
urea for a little over $1.00/gal, but I don't think
it is worth the 40 minute drive. We are trying to
be "natural" not certified organic.
Robert D Bard

I guess I'm off to the feed store

Don

We are pretty new to all this organic stuff, but we are paying like $7/gal. for Natures Guide molasses (ingredients list blackstrap molasses) so are you paying $1/gal. for something different that we could be buying? Also did have a question about spraying it. How much, if any, water do you mix a gallon with?

Feed store molasses works for us. A pretty good rule of thumb is to mix with enough water so it'll spray.

Pat Akin

Pat

Thanks for replying. You also replied to another post I had about the economics of orgnaics for small acreage. We listen to Howrd's radio program and we always hear put out CGM/dried molasses/Corn Meal at 10-20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. and for 10 acres that is like several thousand dollars per application. I know people do organics for acreage and farms so I know there is a cheaper way. I just can't find the road map. I was hoping somewhere there was a quick reference guide. I guess my first problem is knowing what I need to ask for at the feed store and how/where to get in bulk. I bought some liquid molasses in gallon jug, but it was like $7/gal. You and others have mentioned buying liquid molasses for $1/gal. Is there a brand name or something else I need to ask for specifically to get the cheaper molasses? We live in Scurry, about 45 miles SE of Dallas. Cordell's feed store carries some products and seems to be willing to help if I know what I am needing. The problem with finding people that will do the work is mostly everyone is interested in doing larger parcels like over 100 acres. The basic answer I get is we'll get to it when we can. May be 3 weeks or 3 months. So not very reliable. So we are trying to get equipment so we can do it ourselves. We have a 25 gal. sprayer with a 10 ft. boom (will take awhile since it is smaller) and a cone shaped dry fertilizer spreader and have a compost tea brewer set up with 5 gal. bucket and aquarium pump. So we have the basics. Just need help with finding what to get and the cheapest way to buy larger quantities. Thanks again.

I know just how you feel. I've research and read everything I could about organic acreage. The USDA has gotten involved through ATTRA--if I have all those letters correct??--So to be certified organic you now have to go through the bureaucracy. We don't plan to be CERTIFIED organic.
SARE is another area you might find helpful. Grass-fed and sustainable are key words. Stockman Grass Farmer publication is very helpful.

We purchase molasses by the ton at the feed store. Surely your local guy could give you a better price than Nature's Guide (Marshall Grain in Ft Worth, I think) or other organic retailers. Experiment with how much water to how much molasses will spray out of your equipment. Even one gallon of molasses per acres helps.

DE is another product you can get cheaper at the feed stores.

OK, so the cheapest thing you can do is spray molasses. When you have $s, add to the spray. Make your own compost tea. Start with a 5-gallon bucket or a huge trash can or a 55-gal barrel. Use DD's formula posted on this website. It's even better if you buy an aquarium water pump, put a tube in the tea and blow bubbles (aerate).

Try to mow weeds before they seed out--couple times a year, it possible.

There's not much chance of speading compost on acreage, but a field of legumes will enrich the soil for not a lot of money. The feed store should get this for you. Some sells around $1/lb, or $50 50-lb sack. There are some seeds you can just broadcast and hope they'll find a spot of dirt to take root. Ryegrass is not a legume, but it broadcasts well. Reasonable price--at feed store.

I've just jotted down some things we've learned; if I can help further, let me know. Yes, it's nicer to have your own equipment.

Pat Akin

Robert or Pat,

Well I spent the last month using my little 25 gal. sprayer and making several batches of compost tea to spray the following per acre:

5 gal liquid feed
1/2 gal. liquid Humatic Acid
1 Qt. Biogrow from Enviromate (Randy Mosley)
20 gal. compost tea

I have seen in several posts referencing the urea in liquid feed/molasses (I am using that term interchangebly so I am assuming liquid feed is close to the same as liquid molasses). I am not 100% sure what it all means and need to check the internet, but it sounds like urea is a negative thing. How can you tell the urea level? If it is a bad thing, how can you find the liquid feed without it?

Urea is not a bad thing. It offers some nitrogen to
soil. Kust don't feed it to horse - spraying is fine. You
can find non urea at Muenster Milling but it is not
worth the trip.
Robert D Bard