The first stage of our organic farming program began on April 8 with the treatment of a 24 acre field and two 10 acre fenced pastures. One of the two pastures is home to several horses and the other to a small herd of Devon cattle.
Under the guidance of our consultants, the initial effort will be directed to restoring fertility to the field and pastures. Like non-organic farming methods, this means applying additives that address deficiencies in soil chemistry. In our case, the principal deficiencies are in boron and potassium.
In this first treatment, we spread a special red and green clover that was inoculated to fix nitrogen in the soil. One of our consultants, Luke Howard, is shown holding a handful of these seeds. A seed drill was required to spread the clover and we purchas
ed a new rotary spreader for the boron. It would have been ideal to apply both simultaneously, but we are not equipped to do this. This is an unfortunate addition to our carbon footprint we will need to address in the future. We also don’t own a seed drill but were able to rent one from the Rappahannock Soil and Water Conservation District.
The initial challenge was applying the clover and additives at the proper rate. It took our farm crew several passes to get everything adjusted properly. The Boron also contained an inert additive that helped to regulate the application rate. We are still seeking funds to get five tons of sulfate of potash from Utah to Stratford Hall. The application of this material will occur at a later date. The two pictures below show the seed drill at work and our farm manager, Tommy Moles, and Luke Howard discussing the process.
Under the guidance of our consultants, the initial effort will be directed to restoring fertility to the field and pastures. Like non-organic farming methods, this means applying additives that address deficiencies in soil chemistry. In our case, the principal deficiencies are in boron and potassium.
In this first treatment, we spread a special red and green clover that was inoculated to fix nitrogen in the soil. One of our consultants, Luke Howard, is shown holding a handful of these seeds. A seed drill was required to spread the clover and we purchas
ed a new rotary spreader for the boron. It would have been ideal to apply both simultaneously, but we are not equipped to do this. This is an unfortunate addition to our carbon footprint we will need to address in the future. We also don’t own a seed drill but were able to rent one from the Rappahannock Soil and Water Conservation District.The initial challenge was applying the clover and additives at the proper rate. It took our farm crew several passes to get everything adjusted properly. The Boron also contained an inert additive that helped to regulate the application rate. We are still seeking funds to get five tons of sulfate of potash from Utah to Stratford Hall. The application of this material will occur at a later date. The two pictures below show the seed drill at work and our farm manager, Tommy Moles, and Luke Howard discussing the process.
I'm currently managing the transition of 120 acres of cropland near Nomini Bay from conventional farming to certified organic grain (wheat,soybeans) production. I've begun the process using both summer cover crops (white and red cover) and winter cover crops (rye and crimson clover)and planting 50' borders for wildlife and beneficial insects.
ReplyDeleteWhat crop(s) were in your crop field prior to begining the transition? Have any of the existing weeds been identified and a strategy developed for addressing them?
Are you interested in working with others (myself)to secure seed and soil amendments?
We are very pleased to know about your efforts ands are interested in working with you. Please contact me here to follow-up.
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