nutrition and mineralization

Steve Groff (sgroff@epix.net)
Tue, 12 Oct 1999 22:50:13 -0400

I've enjoyed this discussion on nutrition and mineralization in organic
and conventional farming systems. The most important point is striving
to balance the soil, which I have been attempting to do over the last 10
years or so with decent results. I test my fields every 3 years (OM,
CEC, %base Saturation, NPK, plus 10 micros). As previously mentioned I
believe rotation is a big help in maintaining soil nutritional balence
as well as diverse cover crops and animal manures.
And now to turn the thread a bit. Below is a comment, on another
listserv, from a fellow in Brazil. I'd be interested on any comments on
this because it describes what I do on my farm.
-----
"Another thing a lot of farmers down here insist on, is the combination
of
green manures with chemical fertilizers. I tell you what, they get good

results that way, and the best farmers use about a third of the
"recommended" dose of chemical fertilizer, scarcely sacrificing any
production in the good years, and out-producing their neighbors in the
years when the weather is unfavorable. It seems that the green manure
in
the soil, and perhaps the biological activity it promotes, somehow
enhances
the plants' "fertiliser use efficiency".

---
So, any other farmers concur with this?


Steve Groff


"Enhancing the Environment"          http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/
Cedar Meadow Farm
679 Hilldale Road
Holtwood, PA 17532 USA






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