Field Notes

Bouldin Alfalfa: 2022-03-31 13:20:00 (DOY 90)
Author: Daphne Szutu
Others: Joe

Summary: Regular data collection/cleaning, mowing imminent--trimmed alfalfa under our equipment, SWout sensor dirty, swapped PL Arable

2022-03-31
Bouldin Alfalfa

Joe and I arrived around 13:20 PDT. It was breezy but otherwise mild and sunny with high thin clouds. The alfalfa looks more tattered than in previous years, or maybe it’s just the combination of slow winter growth, weed spray, and grazing by geese. They were mowing the alfalfa 2 fields over to our east. Joe trimmed the alfalfa under our tower and under the PL Arable post.

Joe swapped the Arable: sn C003947 came off and sn C011018 went on. I’m not sure if the old Arable was working at all.

I downloaded met, camera, and USB GHG data and cleaned flux and rad sensors. There was a lot of gunk on the SWout sensor so that data should be inspected carefully. At least ¼ of the glass dome was covered by small brown sand-shaped particles, maybe insect eggs?

I downloaded the FD data and cleared its memory. I downloaded the IRT data by swapping the microSD card and using CardConvert to convert the fast data to TOB1 and the slow data to TOA5. I replaced the ethernet switch that we removed last time (to shoo the ants away). This time there were more ants in the IRT datalogger box. We left some mothballs in both boxes.

Joe took veg height measurements.

The upper boardwalk should be replaced.

LI-7500 readings:
CO2 415ppm
H2O 407ppm
T 20.0C
P 101.3Pa
SS 102-
LI7700 readings:
CH4 1.97ppm
RSSI 59 --> 90 after cleaning

We left around 14:20 PDT.

Next Mowing: 2022-04-01

Veg Height (cm): Tape measure from ground to top of plant - Mowing expected soon
43, 23, 15, 25, 31, 28, 16, 30, 35, 42, 35, 22, 18, avg = 27.9, stdev = 9.2

1 photos found

bouldinalfalfa_2022_04_01_081505.jpg ( 2022-04-01 08:17:32 ) Full size: 1296x960
Tractor mowing in progress