Page 58 - Free State Winter 2022 - Website Version

IT'S TIME FOR SHARING (Continued) particles. The granulation is vital
because it maintains airspace
A grower must invest in ways to “manufacture” and oxygen in the soil which are
topsoil to replace the soil lost with each plant essential for growth. Microbes will
not be as effective in mineralizing
that is sold. The goal is to avoid a decline in soil the organics to nutrition if the soil
profile is compacted and made up
health and quality over time. of fine soil particles. Mineralization is
the conversion of organic mater into
surface or a bare surface. That’s the compost at 250 tons per acre useful nutrients. Organic matter is
why we have 50 acres of production each time we plant and give it one quite variable in that the process can
land set aside for grass. There is an more pass with the spade plow to take one year for chicken manure
operational downside to 50 acres of mix the mineral rich deep soil with and up to 10 years for horse manure.
grass. I estimate it costs us $1900 in the compost. Mineralization in soil science is when
labor equipment and fuel to mow The low RPM machine gently the chemical compounds in organic
the farm one time. Yet, if we prevent cultivates the soil while maintaining matter decompose or are oxidized
the loss of thousands of tons of soil, the particle size. A desirable soil into plant-accessible forms of
we work so hard to build and achieve is made of particles, not just fine nutrition. In other words, OM converts
the benefit of higher water infiltration, grains of sand, silt, and clay. This to plant food through the process of
it’s a win.
is called friability. Friable soils have mineralization.
Tillage Techniques — Protecting a crumbly structure that promotes A grower must invest in ways to
Soil Health and Structure microbial activity and root growth. “manufacture” topsoil to replace
It is characterized by large clumps
For soil preparation we use a low the soil lost with each plant that is
RPM spade plow that goes down that break easily and smaller sold. The goal is to avoid a decline
twenty inches. The first pass levels aggregates that are harder to in soil health and quality over time.
and fills holes left behind from break. If we have that kind of soil If we don’t do anything other than
harvesting and incorporates surface structure, we don’t want to destroy continue to plant and harvest, plant
debris into the soil. Then we apply it by breaking it down into fine and harvest, all the rich soil is going
to leave the nursery forever with
the plants that are harvested and
shipped to other locations.

I like to say the soil is not ‘lost’ it just
finds a new home. A

Jerry Faulring
Waverly Farm
1931 Greenfield Road
Adamstown, MD 21710

Soil finding a new home 310-874-8300

58 WINTER 2022 • Free State News