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Building the Best Soil
Creating Healthy Soils Through Soil
Tests, Mulching & Cover Crops
Paul & Sandy Arnold
NOVEMBER 2013
Pleasant Valley Farm
Argyle, New York
• INEXPENSIVE START-UP WITH SMART EXPENDITURES
• GOOD BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & RECORD KEEPING
• LABOR EFFICIENCIES TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS
• GOOD SOIL MANAGEMENT & FERTILITY
• MULCHING AND WEED CONTROL
• PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT
• SEASON EXTENSION-ROWCOVERS & FIELDHOUSES
• YEAR-ROUND HIGH TUNNEL PRODUCTION
• POST-HARVEST HANDLING AND CROP STORAGE
• CREATIVE MARKETING
OUR 10 KEY FACTORS TO REACHING OUR GOAL OF PROFITABLE FARMING
PAUL & SANDY
FAMILY FARM ENVISIONED
BOTH FROM SUBURBIA
DRIVE TO BE SELF-EMPLOYED
ROBERT • Born in Nov 1992
• Homeschooled K-12
• Age 20
• Now full-time local
College-Computers
• Helps summers & Sat Markets in Winter
• Great with
Equipment
KIM • Born Dec 1995
• Now 17
• Freshman local College
• Homeschooled K-12
• Helps run farm 20 to 60 hours per week+
• Markets every
Saturday
• 5 Acres Mixed Diverse Vegetables
• ½ Acre Large Fruits
• ¼ Acre Small Fruits
• Perennials & Herbs From Seed
• 3-4 Acres Cover Crops
• Sell at 3 local weekly farmers’ markets in summer & two Saturday winter markets
• Hay fields used by local Beefalo farmer
FRUIT & VEGETABLE CROPS
• Diversity of
Vegetable Crops
• Large Fruit: Apples, Pears,
Cherries, Plums
• Small Fruit: Blueberries, Grapes, &
Strawberries
SOIL MANAGEMENT AT PLEASANT VALLEY FARM
• Organic Matter
• Mulching
• Soil Tests
• Fertilizers
• Compost
• Cover Crops
• Tunnel Soils
• Irrigation
• Greenhouse
Amendments
• g
• Irrigation
•Continuous Conventional Corn for 30 years •Very low Organic Matter •Lots of fertility in the soil but not registering on tests
LAND PURCHASED 1988 40 Acres
WHERE WE STARTED
• Organic Matter
• 100% Weed Control
• Moisture Retention
• Prevents Soil Erosion
• Keep Roots Cooler
• Clean Crops
• Disease Suppression
• Workers and crates clean
ORGANIC MATTER WAS KEY!
• 1950’s Farmall 400 • 1970’s Gehl Flailchopper • Chop Hay Fields or Winter Rye in Spring
NO WEED SEEDS!
NEW JOHN DEERE 5325 67 HP
SELF-UNLOADING WAGONS
2 Types of Self-Unloading Wagons
Increasing soil organic matter was focus at start-up
4-6” Thick Every Fall
Gross up $10,000 in first year
Organic Matter up to 4%+ Quickly
SPREAD AROUND ALL LONG-SEASON CROPS
•Don’t move pipes
•Saves space
•Efficient for time
•Reduce weeding
MULCHING WITH STRAW
• Custom Grown • Cut before Pollination • No Seed
Purchased
Locally
CROPS WE MULCH
BRASSICAS LIKE COOL ROOTS
• Kale
• Broccoli
SWISS CHARD--HERBS
TOMATOES, SQUASH & PEPPERS
Planted through the mulch
Measure Stick
String & stakes
TOMATOES
• Hand plant 4” pots
• Basket-weave system of staking using ½” rerod
ANNUAL BED STRAWBERRY SYSTEM
Mulch either Matted Row or Annual Bed
CHANDLER
VARIETY
FEW DISEASES—TURN UNDER IN JULY
MULCHING WITH ROUND BALES
Neighbors’ Rented Land Good for Hay Production Custom Bales processed for us
STATIONARY IRRIGATION
CUSTOM-BALED STRAW:
•Roll out
•Lay 3” aluminum irrigation pipe on top of straw
Straw Mulch
We have continued to use a lot of hay and straw mulch on our fields to build
and maintain organic matter
NEW SYSTEM 2008 WITH BIO-TELO
• Corn based
• Saved weeding
• Reduced straw usage
• Warmed soil
• Breaks down
• Conserves water
• Comes 4’ or 5’
• .6 mil
OMRI approval CLOSE!
MULCH,PLANT, AND LEAVE IT TILL HARVEST!
Mulch
Immediately!
3 MONTHS LATER! EARTHWORMS HAPPY
OCT 2010 ANOTHER
NEW SYSTEM!
Teagle Tomahawk
Round Bale
Bale Chopper
BALE CHOPPER
• Custom
grown rye straw
• Efficient • Puts straw
where needed by machine
• Saves your back & body
LABOR SAVING & GREAT O.M.! FALL SPREAD ALSO
EDGE
KNOW YOUR SOURCE---NO SEED—TEST!
SINGLE ROW
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers • Summer Squash
• Winter Squash
• Melons
Organic matter is key to healthy soil, which means healthy plants
TRANSPLANTING BY WATERWHEEL
• 2 people plant, one person drives
• Creaper gear essential
• Watering in plants beneficial
Buckeye with Rainflo wheels-Versatile as does 1 to 4 rows and 6” to 2 ft in row
• Peas & worms!
• We now transplant all peas
• Onion & Corn Transplants
TOO MUCH O.M.??
TRANSPLANTING BY HAND
TILLAGE FOR SOIL HEALTH
PRIMARY TILLAGE
Subsoiler • Deep
• Hard Pan
• Results of
Growth
PRIMARY TILLAGE
Chisel Plows
• Fast
• Better for soil
• 2 foot
• Every year
• Different
points
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Kuhn 5 ft Rototiller
• One pass-fine seed bed
• Quality brand
• Commercial
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Perfecta II
Rolling
Harrow
• Great when don’t need fine seed bed (ex:
potatoes, onions, squash)
• Good for stale Seed-bedding
SECONDARY TILLAGE
8 ft set of Harrowing Disks
• Great for large areas
Soil Tests • Take Annually to track
progress
• Pick a lab and stay with them — A&L Labs has great reference book
• Take sample same time every year
• Be accurate in sampling—Soil probe is a good tool to own
SOIL HEALTH
Soil Tests • Amend as needed or get
custom fertilizers (2 opinions)
• Know how to calculate what is needed
• Know crop needs (Knott’s Handbook)
SOIL HEALTH
• Each Lab is individual • Logan-extra
micronutrients • Extension-Resource
SOIL HEALTH
Soil Tests • Micronutrients important
• Ask for full soil analysis
• Bargain at any price!
• No longer 3 major nutrients
• Spread evenly to get all nutrients up to proper levels
• Side-dressing of Nitrogen is common
• pH must be in proper range (6.5+); Adjust with lime or sulfur per recommendations
NUTRIENTS & FERTILITY
START-UP Low organic matter • Rock Phosphate • Green Sand • Lime • Micronutrients • Get in Balance
• Large
spreaders
• Hand
spreading
• Spray on fields
• Small
spreader
• Through
irrigation
APPLYING NUTRIENTS
FORD 1710 OFFSET FERTILIZER HOPPERS
50 GAL 3 PT HITCH HYDRAULIC SPRAYER W 100’ HOSE
LIQUID MICRONUTRIENT APPLICATIONS • Even distribution • Tank Mix • Spring or Fall
FIEL
D
BED L
ENGTH
Squ F
eet p
er Bed
@5.5
' wid
e
SULF
UR o
n Tes
t (ppm
)
Sulfur Nee
ded p
er 1000 s
f
Sulfur Nee
ded p
er Acr
e
WP S
ulfur per
Acr
e (#
)
WP S
ulfur per
Bed
(#
)
BORON o
n Test
(ppm
)
Actual
B N
eeded
per
1000 S
F
Boron N
eeded
per
Acr
e
Solubor p
er acr
e (#
)
Solubor p
er bed (
#)
ZINC o
n Tes
t (p
pm)
ZN n
eeded
per
1000 S
F
Zinc need
ed per
acr
e (#
)
ZnSuf p
er A
cre
(#)
ZnSul N
eeded
per b
ed (#
)
MAIN S 100 550 8.0 0.63 27.4 30.5 0.39 1.00 0.03 1.31 6.5 0.08 3.40 0.03 1.31 3.63 0.05
MAIN N 100 550 9.0 0.61 26.6 29.5 0.37 0.90 0.04 1.74 8.7 0.11 4.50 0.02 0.87 2.42 0.03
SECOND 130 715 8.0 0.63 27.4 30.5 0.50 0.80 0.04 1.74 8.7 0.14 2.80 0.04 1.74 4.84 0.08
BLUEBERRY 115 633 9.0 0.61 26.6 29.5 0.43 0.80 0.04 1.74 8.7 0.13 2.50 0.04 1.74 4.84 0.07
CENTER N 225 1238 ## 0.58 25.3 28.1 0.80 1.10 0.04 1.74 8.7 0.25 4.50 0.02 0.87 2.42 0.07
NORTH 120 660 ## 0.56 24.4 27.1 0.41 0.50 0.05 2.18 11 0.17 2.40 0.04 1.74 4.84 0.07
STRODE N 275 1513 ## 0.56 24.4 27.1 0.94 0.50 0.05 2.18 11 0.38 2.30 0.04 1.74 4.84 0.17
STRODE E 100 550 ## 0.48 20.9 23.2 0.29 0.70 0.04 1.74 8.7 0.11 4.00 0.02 0.87 2.42 0.03
STRODE W 300 1650 7.0 0.66 28.7 31.9 1.21 0.50 0.05 2.18 11 0.41 3.20 0.03 1.31 3.63 0.14
CENTER S 225 1238 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0
ORCHARD 225 1238 8.0 0.63 27.4 30.5 0.87 0.70 0.04 1.74 8.7 0.25 2.70 0.04 1.74 4.84 0.14
HAY SE 600 3300 9.0 0.61 26.6 29.5 2.24 0.50 0.03 1.31 7 0.50 1.70 0.05 2.18 6.05 0.46
N. TUNNEL 144 792 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0
MICRONUTRIENT SPREADSHEET AUTO CALCULATIONS
No ALFALFA MEAL (Organic) 2.50 0.50 2.20 No ARAGONITE 0.00 0.00 0.00 33% Ca Yes AZOMITE 0.00 0.00 0.00 No BLOOD MEAL 13.00 0.00 0.00 Yes BONE CHAR 1.00 20.00 0.00 No BONE MEAL 6.00 9.00 0.00 Yes BORON (SOLUBOR 20%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 Yes CHEEP CHEEP 4.00 3.00 3.00 Yes CHILEAN NITRATE 16.00 0.00 0.00 No COBALT (33%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 No COPPER (25%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 No CORN GLUTEN 10.00 0.00 0.00 No COTTON SEED MEAL 6.00 2.00 1.00 No EPSOM SALT 0.00 0.00 0.00 10% Mg, 13% S No FEATHER MEAL 13.00 0.00 0.00 Yes GREENSAND 0.00 0.00 1.00 Yes GYPSUM 0.00 0.00 0.00 23% Ca, 19% S Yes HUMATE 0.00 0.00 0.00 No KELP MEAL 0.00 0.00 4.80 No Manganese (27%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 No MOLYBDENUM (39.5%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 No PEANUT MEAL 8.00 1.50 1.80 No Pelletized Ca Lime 7.00 1.00 2.00 Yes PHOSPHATE ROCK 0.00 5.00 0.00 22% Total P2O5 Yes SULFT/PTSH 0.00 0.00 51.00 Yes ELEMENTAL SULFUR 0.00 0.00 0.00 No SULPOMAG 0.00 0.00 22.00 No ZnSO4 (35.5%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 Yes PRO-GRO 5.00 3.00 4.00 Yes PRO-START 2.00 3.00 3.00 No PRO-BOOSTER 10.00 0.00 0.00
LOTS OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS OUT
THERE • Know the numbers • OMRI-approved & listed • Multiple nutrients • What’s needed in your soil
VALUES PER UNIT OF ELEMENT
• ton loose Cheep Cheep 4-3-3 OMRI $590.00 ($59)
• ton loose Chilean Nitrate 16-0-0 OMRI $1,488.71 ($93)
• ton loose Pro-Booster 10-0-0 No Chilean $1,032.32 ($103)
• ton loose Pro-Gro 5-3-4 OMRI $647.26 ($54)
• ton loose Sulfate of Potash 0-0-52 OMRI $1,649.20 ($32)
• Ton loose Feather Meal Granular 13-0-0 $1300 ($100)
• ton loose Peanut Meal 8-2-2 $978.57 ($82)
LOOKING AT COMBINATION OF N-P-K
VALUES PER UNIT OF ELEMENT
IF WE NEED 60# OF NITROGEN PER ACRE:
1. Using Pro-Gro 5-3-4 would need
60/.05=1200#=$388 per acre
2. Using Peanut Meal 8-2-2 would need
60/.08=750#=$367 per acre
3. Using Feather Meal 13-0-0 would need 60/.13=460#= $299 per acre
LOOKING AT JUST NITROGEN-FARM SPECIFIC
CUSTOM BLEND FERTILIZERS
• 20# Solubor (20% B)
• 16# Copper Sulfate (25% Copper)
• 400# Feather Meal
• 200# Humates
• 1214# Peanut Meal
• 100# Elemental Sulfur (90% S)
• 50# Zinc Sulfate (20% ZN)
GIVE SPECIFICS-POUNDS/ACRE & CUSTOM MADE BASED ON SOIL TEST
CUSTOM BLEND FERTILIZERS
• Consider cost at $800 per ton
• Spread at rate of 500# per acre to add
60# of N per acre
• Covers 4 acres and cost is $200 per
acre
• One acre on our farm grosses approximately $30-35,000 per acre
• GREAT VALUE & Deals with all Nutrients
BOOKS FOR
CALCULATIONS &
GUIDANCE
• KNOTTS HANDBOOK
• VEGETABLE MANAGEMENT GUIDE
• A&L LAB HANDBOOK
LOOK TO BE IN HIGH OR OPTIMUM RANGE
OUR FERTILIZER
• Most fields 30 years 15-15-15
• Spray on micronutrients
• Pre-dress with BioTelo
• Sidedress Nitrogen: Peanut Meal, Soybean Meal, Cottonseed Meal
• Use custom blend 7-1-1 with deficient micronutrients
• Calculate cost of N per acre
• One ton totes
• Use custom blends with deficient micronutrients
• Many fields so often 2 or 3 recipes • One ton totes
COMPOST • Can be good
• Can be bad
• Critical to be weed-free
• Good if need nutrients and organic matter
• Can be expensive
• Must be properly finished
• Use caution for soil mixes • 1 to 2 year old compost
best • Elaine Ingham & Soil Food
Web—test your compost
SOIL HEALTH
COMPOST
• Know your rates
• Use manure spreader designed for compost, like H&S
• Adding other types of organic matter are an option, like leaves, straw, hay, or lake weeds
SOIL HEALTH
ELAINE INGHAM & SOIL FOOD WEB—TEST YOUR COMPOST
COVER CROPS
BENEFITS • Smother Weeds
• Check Erosion
• Hold Nutrients
• Maintain Organic Matter
• Source of Pollen for Bees
• Food for Beneficials
• Produces straw for mulching
• Break up hardpan
Over-seeder to spread cover crop seeds over a large field or a single bed
Less expensive than a Brillion seeder, fast and spreads seed evenly
BUCKWHEAT
• Summer • Smothers weeds • Bees love it
COVER CROP AT HIGH DENSITY
Stale seed bed 1st
If necessary
LOTS OF
VARIETIES OF
COVER CROPS AVAILABLE
Sorghum Sudan
used in late
spring/summer
Turn under the cover crop prior to maturity if understory weeds are nearing maturity
•Winter Rye •Winter Rye/Vetch •Seed till Nov 1 •Winter cover
BEST TO SEED MULTIPLE SPECIES TOGETHER
CHOP ONLY WHEN NO WEED SEEDS!
• Farmall 400 • Gehl
Flailchopper • Chop Hay
Fields or Winter Rye in Spring
Turn under rye 2 to 3 weeks before planting cash crop seeds
Rye has an allelopathic affect on seeds—prevents seeds from germinating
Turn rye/vetch or rye/clover under successively in the spring to get the most growth and benefit
Fall seeded clover as an intercropping makes a great spring cover - Field must be weed-free
CLOVER AFTER CHOPPING OFF THE RYE IN SPRING
Full year of clover growth great for 2nd year crops for N supply Mow as necessary
INTERCROPPING WINTER RYE AND CLOVER
• Seed by hand
• Not onto crop
• Seed about Aug 1st
• Cultivate 1st
Great for fall crops like Brassicas
Heavy rate (Rye 200#+)
Water consecutive days overhead till germed
CAN OVERSEED STRAW MULCHED AREAS ALSO CLEAN AREA FOR HARVEST
GREAT COVER CROP FOR WINTER & NEXT SPRING
OATS IN SPRING ON BEDS
MUSTARDS AS COVER CROPS
• Kills soil disease causing organisms and nematodes
• Biofumigant • Kodiak • 15#/acre
Hearneseeds.com
MUSTARDS AS COVER CROPS
• Flowering • Chop, turn
under & irrigate
• Glucosynolates • Add compost • Wait 2 weeks
Hearneseeds.com
MUSTARDS AS COVER CROPS
• IDA GOLD • Suppress
Weeds • Deep Roots • Erosion Control • Another
Brassica in the rotation??
Hearneseeds.com
HIGH TUNNEL SOIL MANAGEMENT
• Organic
Fertilizer
• Micros
• Compost
• Soil Test as Soil Media
maybe
FERTILITY
Rotations
Important
COVER CROP -ROTATION
Cow peas
PLASTIC OFF
FRENCH INTENSIVE METHOD
UTILIZED YEAR-ROUND
Asian Greens for Braising Mix • Tokyo
Bekana • Yukina
Savoy • Vitamin
Green
MANAGE FOR DISEASES
COLD TEMPS AFFECT UPTAKE OF NUTRIENTS
IRRIGATION-KEY TO FARMING
Affordable Kept crops alive Water usage low Time Consuming Not Good Seed Germination Hard to cultivate
STARTED WITH DRIP
IRRIGATION-PROFITABLE ENDEAVOR
• 100’ x 100’ • Million Gallons • Spread out cost
over 3 years • $15,000 total for
home farm for 4 acres
• Loss of $10,000? Really $30,000
Drip Irrigation • Uses less water
• Good for permanent crops like blueberries, raspberries, asparagus
• Long season crops under black plastic
• Requires filter
• Produces garbage and continual expense
• Hard to keep up in an extreme drought
• Great for tunnels
Overhead Irrigation • Uses more water • Gets seeds started • Requires filter
sometimes • More efficient at getting
transplants watered in • More expensive initially • Good for cover crops
IRRIGATION
IRRIGATION
Irrigation • Critical when
growing produce • In summer heat,
need up to 2” per week
• PLANTS NEED THE WATER AROUND ROOTS TO ENABLE EXCHANGE OF NUTRIENTS
TOO MUCH RAIN!
FIELD TILING
• Inexpensive • Was $1 per
foot • Tool to
Manage Risk • Fast Return…
Carrot Crop lost
Organic Soil Mix:
4 buckets (5gal) compost
4 buckets (5 gal) horticultural grade peat moss
1 ½ buckets of perlite
4# organic fertilizer 5-3-4
*Test soil mix for pH and salts and nutrients
*Test greenhouse water for pH
*Work with professionals if issues
GREENHOUSE
SEEDS
GREENHOUSE
GREENHOUSE CARE
• Diseases-Root Shield and Root Shield Plus
• Actinovate-Fusarium
• Biological Stimulants
• Humic Acids
TRANSPLANT SOLUTIONS Water in
WATER WHEEL WITH NUTRIENTS IN TANK
• Fertilizer
• Humates
• Compost Tea
• Biologicals
MYCORRHIZAE • Mycorrhizae.com
• Beneficial Fungi
• Not for Brassicas
WATERWHEEL GREAT FOR DIRECT AMENDMENTS
DIVERSITY & ROTATION
• Know nutrient needs of each crop
Diversity and Rotation for Health
of Soil
ROTATION IS KEY
• Rotate families
• Break insect & disease
cycles
• 3-4 Year minimum
GROW HEALTHY FOOD TO FEED
THE COMMUNITY YEAR-ROUND!
Well-managed soils yields produce with
increased nutrients
HEALTHY SOILS YIELD QUALITY PLANTS
HEALTHY SOILS MEAN LESS DISEASES & INSECTS
NOVEMBER 22ND 37 DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR SALE!
WHERE WE GET OUR
ELECTRICITY & HOT WATER!
SOLAR, SOLAR & MORE
SOLAR!
NETMETERING 10Kw + 19Kw
Evacuated Tubes-Hot Water
THANKS AND HAVE A GREAT 2013 SEASON!
Alaska, Glacier 2011 Hawaii 2006
