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Recent Posts
- At last, the soil podcast is here! November 3, 2017
- Don’t count your weeds before they hatch: update on occultation vs. solarization for weed suppression in no-till cabbage August 24, 2016
- Tarps for killing cover crops: mid-project update June 22, 2016
- Trading tillage for tarps: an effective way to kill weeds and cover crops? May 26, 2016
- Phacelia is a bumble bee paradise July 8, 2015
- Cover crop mixtures: new factsheet May 25, 2015
- If you can see it, it’s too much May 13, 2015
- No-till transplanted onions in New England April 12, 2015
- Trying high-residue no-till on a budget March 19, 2015
- Maine is the first state to pay tribute to soils during the International Year of Soils March 12, 2015
- The website will go on, but this project is ending… March 9, 2015
- Under Cover: Rotational No-till and Mulching Systems for Organic Vegetable Farms in Germany February 2, 2015
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Category Archives: Soil health
At last, the soil podcast is here!
I made a podcast. It’s the podcast I wish existed when I started farming and learning about soil. I have tried to keep the episodes short and sweet, covering the basics while also delving into some pretty cutting edge science- some … Continue reading
Posted in Podcast, Soil, Soil health, Soil microbes
Tagged soil health, soil organic matter, soil podcast
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If you can see it, it’s too much
Sometimes, I feel like erosion is a big elephant in the room. It happens. It feels unlucky, it feels bad, and sometimes it feels inevitable. It is also still one of the biggest threats to long-term productivity and soil health … Continue reading
Posted in Cover Crops, Soil, Soil health
Tagged soil erosion; soil aggregation; soil building
Comments Off on If you can see it, it’s too much
Under Cover: Rotational No-till and Mulching Systems for Organic Vegetable Farms in Germany
It sounds like there was a great turnout for Jan’s eOrganic webinar on the cut-and-carry mulch system he and his colleagues are using for organic vegetable production in Germany. My favorite quote: “You can completely screw up the system and … Continue reading
Posted in Cover Crops, Rye, Soil, Soil health, Soil moisture, Soil temperature, Vegetables, Vetch
Tagged cover crop economics, farm economics, high-residue cover crop, mulch, rotational no-till, silage mulch, under_cover
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Mark your calendars and get ready for an information deluge from Germany
Back in 2013, Ray and I got an inquiry from “a farmer in Germany” who was preparing a seminar on soil health and reduced tillage and wanted more information on what we were doing. He did not send a picture … Continue reading
Posted in Cover Crops, Equipment, Soil, Soil health, Vegetables
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You’ve got options for measuring and adjusting your soil’s pH: part II
Last post, I wrote about measuring your soil’s pH on your own. If you successfully measured pH, congratulations! Now you have to decide what to do with this information. For purposes of this post, I will focus on what to do when … Continue reading
Posted in Nutrient Cycling, Soil, Soil health
Tagged acid soil, alternative liming materials, calcium silicate, gypsum, pumpkin, soil pH, wollastonite
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You’ve got options for measuring and adjusting your soil’s pH: part I
It’s fall, which means it’s soil sampling season for many farmers. Or maybe not. It’s a busy time and soil testing can fall to the bottom of the list of things to do. It can also add up as an expense … Continue reading
Posted in Nutrient Cycling, Soil health
Tagged acid soil, pH meter, soil pH
Comments Off on You’ve got options for measuring and adjusting your soil’s pH: part I
Biodrilling: how cover crop roots can help your ailing soil
I recently started digging with a 16″ (40 cm) spade. I play in the soil a lot, but this tool has expanded my horizons. (Please keep reading even if that soil pun made you roll your eyes). It’s a very simple … Continue reading
Posted in Cover Crops, Radish, Soil health
Tagged biodrilling, no-till vegetable production, soil compaction
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