I was taught many years ago the principle of “the price of non-conformance.”  Basically it means that it almost always costs less to do a task right the first time, even if it takes more time.  Rushing tasks and compromising on quality usually results in low quality results that cost as much or more than conforming to certain standards and “doing it right.”

After a very long and severe drought, a tropical storm changed directions and was predicted to produce rain at The Proving Grounds.  I rushed to purchase wheat seed.  I found some uncertified seed at a local dealer that was convenient and less expensive that the local source of certified seed.  I don’t like to plant uncertified seed.  I realize it cost more to purchase certified seed than a brown bag special that some seed dealers offer.  I’m sure much of the brown bag specials are good seed.  However, I like knowing that someone did, or should have, tested the seed for the germination rate and weed seed content.  However in my rush, I opted to save time and money and purchase the brown bag special.  We hustled to plant, it rained long and steady!  We broadcast that seed and used a no-till drill to plant some wheat I had purchased a few weeks ago from the National Wild Turkey Federation.  All seemed well!!  I should also mention that I didn’t test the germination of the uncertified seed.  (Germination rates can be simply checked by placing some seed on a plate, adding some warm most water, then waiting a few days and determining the ratio of seeds that germinated versus seeds that didn’t.)

I inspected the fields yesterday.  The fields that were planted with the wheat from the NWTF and using the no-till drill looked great!  The fields that were planted by broadcasting the brown bag variety are mostly bare.  Today I suffered the expense of purchasing certified seed, and replanting 13 acres.  The time, funds, wear and tear on equipment, etc., is a significant cost.

Further, because I didn’t do a germination test, I don’t know if the failure was due to the seed quality, mixing the seed with the Antler Dirt too long before I planted, or something else.  I can’t learn from this mistake because I didn’t heed the lesson of the price of non-conformance I learned years ago.

Do as I say and don’t do as I do, always purchase quality seed and perform a germination test.

Growing Deer (and learning) together,

Grant