March 1, 2017
Raising the bar of productivity
Finken Farms and Seeds prides itself on quality
By ALYSSA ADAM
By ALYSSA ADAM
When it comes to being a seed farm, there is a lot more work and expense than people realize, according to Bob Finken and Chris Sobieck, owners and operaters of Finken Farms and Seeds.
“There is a lot of extra work,” Finken explained.
The seeds are started at the highest pedigree when Finken and Sobieck plant them at the foundation level. Then, as they are planted the following year they are dropped a pedigree to registered. The following year is when farmers usually would buy the seed at the certified level, according to Finken.
Finken said being a seed farm is similar to basic farming, however, more attention must be payed to detail.
“It is still the basic agronomics, things you have to take care of but you have to be so diligent on purity,” he said. “We are constantly sanitizing things because you don’t want to mix any wheat with your barley and you don’t even want to mix one variety of wheat with another variety. Some of them have different characteristics.”
“There is a lot of extra work,” Finken explained.
The seeds are started at the highest pedigree when Finken and Sobieck plant them at the foundation level. Then, as they are planted the following year they are dropped a pedigree to registered. The following year is when farmers usually would buy the seed at the certified level, according to Finken.
Finken said being a seed farm is similar to basic farming, however, more attention must be payed to detail.
“It is still the basic agronomics, things you have to take care of but you have to be so diligent on purity,” he said. “We are constantly sanitizing things because you don’t want to mix any wheat with your barley and you don’t even want to mix one variety of wheat with another variety. Some of them have different characteristics.”
