Since this is a harvest issue, it never hurts to remind producers that if they are going to chem fallow a certain amount of land next year, it pays to plan now for it during harvest. Why should we think about chem fallow when it is at least eight months away? Well, anyone who has tried to seed through 12 or 16-inch tall chem fallow stubble (even with 12-inch row spacing) will understand the frustrations of plugging every two drill widths, would drive the most patient person to drink. The concept of chem fallow is great, with its snow trapping ability and significantly reducing the erosion potential. Seeding through first year stubble of that height generally is no problem since it is still anchored by the roots. However, what happens during that year of chem fallow is that the stubble essentially rots off at the soil surface. When you try to seed through this, a lot of the straw breaks off at the soil surface and thus converts your air drill or air seeder into an expensive rake. If this stubble has been cut short at harvest time, the plugging problem becomes significantly reduced. Therefore, do a little planning ahead when having chem fallow as part of your rotation. Cut that stubble short enough that your particular seeding unit will be able to go through it in the spring. That generally means cutting it no taller than the width of your row spacing or even a bit shorter to be on the safe size. It will also depend on how heavy the stubble is. If the farmer is using a direct seeding disc opener, then stubble height is usually not an issue. But, for those producers using a C-shank type of opener, a little planning ahead can save not only time, but a lot of frustration as well.