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  • From: Richard Moyer <ramoyer AT gmail.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Growing for compost
  • Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:28:33 -0400

Wyatt,
We used to cut an orchard grass/clover/fescue acre 1-2 times per year
for our primary source of organic matter for vegetable beds. So I
have sympathy/interest in your idea or growing your own compost
biomass. Elliot Coleman expands on the idea in "The New Organic
Grower". Rotationally grazing goats through the field helped control
weedy species and favor more clover.

Talked with my neighbor yesterday about his 6 acres of alfalfa, he is
putting in more.
The quality and quantity of biomass is potentially huge, but make sure
you choose the right soil with proper nutrient levels. As the book
"Southern Forages" stresses, seed is much more expensive if not
planted properly, including soil prep, timing and aftercare. Your
local NRCS office can advise whether the soil(s) in your 10 acres are
suited to alfalfa, and what if anything you can do for better
establishment and longevity, and what type of alfalfa seed. They may
know of alfalfa trials applicable to your area. For instance,
Kentucky Agricultural Extension has info on multiyear performance of
various types of alfalfa at multiple sites. When I call my county Ag
Extension agent with forage questions, he refers some of them to our
state forage specialist, who has sent links to data on forage trials.
So check out your local state and fed resources, your tax dollars are
paying for them.

You mentioned wanting to break up heavy clay: I wrote of biotillage
radishes to do that, instead of through mechanical tillage. Chicory
also has a deep taproot to penetrate clay and bring deep nutrients to
the surface (and into your compost), but it's a biennial. One of the
primary reasons for alfalfa petering out is heavy soil, a plowpan or
fragipan, something preventing alfalfa going deep. So you may want to
break up your heavier soils before planting alfalfa, or grow something
else on those sites. Some clovers go very deep.

My neighbors alfalfa has been going strong for 4-6 years, depending on
the field. He's careful to cut it every 30 days during the growing
season, to keep it from blooming/seeding and to control weeds. So if
you can't cut it often, it may be harder to establish and maintain.
He killed a field out completely with herbicide before establishment.
And he chose good loam, with proper pH.

You mentioned options, have you considered trying more than one on
your 10 acres, to determine what works best for you and your soil(s).
As for seed cost, some are quite expensive, but once established,
certain seeds can be gathered through several means and spread over a
wider area. Ongoing stand management, through grazing/mowing can
also favor the spread of certain plants over others.

Finally, as Mark Schonbeck has noted, weeds can make great compost
material, if cut before seedset. Redroot pigweed (amaranth) and
Lambsquarters (chenopodium?) are both high protein weeds, that make
huge amounts of tender biomass during late spring and early summer.
But the stalks become very tough after bloom. Easy to save seed from
these and spread to wider areas; this will really make the neighbors
wonder!

Richard Moyer
SW VA
Out to plant more beans.


>> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:53:04 -0400
>> From: "Wyatt Jones" <wyatt_jones AT netzero.com>
>> Subject: [Market-farming] Growing for compost
>> To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>> Message-ID: <C618644B91F14364BDC7A139B37E20DD@WJONESXP>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>>
>> Hi
>>
>> I'm trying to decide what to plant in order to use for good mulch/compost
>> with a good amount of nitrogen and carbon to build up the humus here. I
>> really need to break up this clay a bit as well. I'm thinking some sort
>> of
>> alfalfa mix might be the solution but I'm not sure what to mix it with
>> exactly though there are many alternatives. I thought about an
>> alfalfa/clover mix with either rye of orchard grass, both common hay mixes
>> but not sure about he proportions to get some good results. A pure
>> alfalfa
>> would provide a lot of nitrogen but fairly expensive and it would only
>> last
>> about 3 years. I've also considered things like Sudangrass/soybean mix
>> but
>> I don't know how the nutrient levels would be using that.
>>
>> I'm also having trouble getting untreated alfalfa seed. Fedco has it but
>> its almost $400 plus shipping for 50# whereas the other kinds I can get,
>> albeit treated, are about $200-$250 for 50 lb.
>>
>> I'm flexible about the details as long is it works, I just want to get
>> this
>> 10 acres growing materials for compost and fertilizer in the most cost
>> effective and efficient way I can.
>>
>> thanks
>>
>> Wyatt
>>
>>
>> ____________________________________________________________
>> Get Free Email with Video Mail & Video Chat!
>> http://www.netzero.net/freeemail?refcd=NZTAGOUT1FREM0210
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>> End of Market-farming Digest, Vol 89, Issue 49
>> **********************************************
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:53:33 -0400
> From: Marlin Burkholder <Glenecofarm AT planetcomm.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Broccoli Head Discoloration
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <C847B44D.2313%Glenecofarm AT planetcomm.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> We had a similar experience with our broccoli this spring.
> Christine Burkholder
> Shenandoah Valley VA
>
>
> On 6/17/10 7:28 PM, "Pam Dawling" <pam AT twinoaks.org> wrote:
>
>> Our Blue Wind did just the same as Erin's. We didn't have any hail storms,
>> but
>> we did have yo-yo weather: unusually hot early, then surprisingly chuilly,
>> back and forth. Last year Blue Wind was lovely broccoli.
>>
>> Pam, Twin Oaks, Virginia . Zone 7
>>
>> On Jun 16, 2010, at 8:05 PM, Erin Bullock wrote:
>>
>>> > My early broccoli heads look really weird this year. ?Variety is "Blue
>>> > Wind". The growth of the beads is very non-uniform (some tight, some
>>> > large), and some of the beads are turning yellow & even pink. ?Last
>>> > year this variety made really nice bluish-green compact heads, but
>>> > these are rainbow-colored almost! ?I'm not sure they're still
>>> > marketable. ?I am guessing it has to do with the incredibly hot & dry
>>> > May we had, before they started making heads. ?Then we got a lot of
>>> > rain all at once in June. ?Is there also some deficiency in my soil
>>> > maybe? ?Anyone have an idea about this? Thanks!
>>> >
>>> > -----
>>> >
>>> > Erin Bullock, Mud Creek Farm, Victor, NY
>>> > www.mudcreekfarm.com <http://www.mudcreekfarm.com/>
>>> >
>>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Market-farming mailing list
>> Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>>
>> Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
>> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:38:02 -0500
> From: Mike Brabo <mdbrabo AT att.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Broccoli Head Discoloration
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <580B9DF2-527A-4C92-B3F1-29BF022D5C65 AT att.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Ditto here in Missouri.
> Harvested only 10% of normal harvest using the Nutri-Bud variety.
>
> Mike
> Vesterbrook Farm - http://www.vesterbrookfarm.com/
>
> Clarksville, Missouri
> Mississippi River Bluffs region, zone 6
>
> Certified Naturally Grown
> http://www.naturallygrown.org/
>
>
>
> On Jun 23, 2010, at 11:53 AM, Marlin Burkholder wrote:
>
>> We had a similar experience with our broccoli this spring.
>> Christine Burkholder
>> Shenandoah Valley VA
>>
>>
>> On 6/17/10 7:28 PM, "Pam Dawling" <pam AT twinoaks.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Our Blue Wind did just the same as Erin's. We didn't have any hail
>>> storms, but we did have yo-yo weather: unusually hot early, then
>>> surprisingly chuilly, back and forth. Last year Blue Wind was lovely
>>> broccoli.
>>>
>>> Pam, Twin Oaks, Virginia . Zone 7
>>>
>>> On Jun 16, 2010, at 8:05 PM, Erin Bullock wrote:
>>>
>>> > My early broccoli heads look really weird this year. Variety is "Blue
>>> > Wind". The growth of the beads is very non-uniform (some tight, some
>>> > large), and some of the beads are turning yellow & even pink. Last
>>> > year this variety made really nice bluish-green compact heads, but
>>> > these are rainbow-colored almost! I'm not sure they're still
>>> > marketable. I am guessing it has to do with the incredibly hot & dry
>>> > May we had, before they started making heads. Then we got a lot of
>>> > rain all at once in June. Is there also some deficiency in my soil
>>> > maybe? Anyone have an idea about this? Thanks!
>>> >
>>> > -----
>>> >
>>> > Erin Bullock, Mud Creek Farm, Victor, NY
>>> > www.mudcreekfarm.com <http://www.mudcreekfarm.com/>
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Market-farming mailing list
>>> Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>>>
>>> Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
>>> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/
>>> Unsubscribe from the list here (you will need to login in with your email
>>>
>>> address and password):
>>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/market-farming
>> _______________________________________________
>> Market-farming mailing list
>> Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>>
>> Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
>> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/
>> Unsubscribe from the list here (you will need to login in with your email
>> address and password):
>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/market-farming
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:36:50 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Jay Sleichter <jaysleichter AT yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Broccoli Head Discoloration
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <405747.91511.qm AT web56502.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> It is nice to hear that I wasn't the only one who had a bust with Broccoli
> this spring.? That reassures me that it wasn't something I did.? It just was
> a hard spring.
>
> Jay
>
> Jay's Jellies, Produce and More
>
> Clay Center, Kansas
>
> www.jaysjellies.com
>
> http://highfarming.blogspot.com/
>
> --- On Wed, 6/23/10, Mike Brabo <mdbrabo AT att.net> wrote:
>
> From: Mike Brabo <mdbrabo AT att.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Broccoli Head Discoloration
> To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 9:38 PM
>
> Ditto here in Missouri. ?Harvested only 10% of normal harvest using the
> Nutri-Bud variety.
>
> Mike
> Vesterbrook Farm -??? ??http://www.vesterbrookfarm.com/
>
> Clarksville, Missouri
> Mississippi River Bluffs region, zone 6
> ???
> ?? ?? Certified Naturally Grown
> http://www.naturallygrown.org/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jun 23, 2010, at 11:53 AM, Marlin Burkholder wrote:
>
> We had a similar experience with our broccoli this spring.
>
> Christine Burkholder
>
> Shenandoah Valley VA
>
>
>
>
>
> On 6/17/10 7:28 PM, "Pam Dawling" <pam AT twinoaks.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> Our Blue Wind did just the same as Erin's. We didn't have any hail storms,
> but we did have yo-yo weather: unusually hot early, then surprisingly
> chuilly, back and forth. Last year Blue Wind was lovely broccoli.
>
>
>
> Pam, Twin Oaks, Virginia . Zone 7
>
>
>
> On Jun 16, 2010, at 8:05 PM, Erin Bullock wrote:
>
>
>
>> My early broccoli heads look really weird this year. ?Variety is "Blue
>
>> Wind". The growth of the beads is very non-uniform (some tight, some
>
>> large), and some of the beads are turning yellow & even pink. ?Last
>
>> year this variety made really nice bluish-green compact heads, but
>
>> these are rainbow-colored almost! ?I'm not sure they're still
>
>> marketable. ?I am guessing it has to do with the incredibly hot & dry
>
>> May we had, before they started making heads. ?Then we got a lot of
>
>> rain all at once in June. ?Is there also some deficiency in my soil
>
>> maybe? ?Anyone have an idea about this? Thanks!
>
>>
>
>> -----
>
>>
>
>> Erin Bullock, Mud Creek Farm, Victor, NY
>
>> www.mudcreekfarm.com <http://www.mudcreekfarm.com/>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> **********************************************
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