Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Ryan Albinger" <ryalbinger@earthlink.net>]

Bob, you hit on the topic I should of went into.  You don't need to build a
soil UP, if you can build it DOWN.  Extend the aerobic layer of the soil
full of good biology and organic matter deeper into the soil you have.
Not that I agree with everything he does, but the thought was engrained in
me when I heard Francis Childs, world record holder for corn production
over 400 bu per acre (vs US ave 140), give talk on how he does it.  First,
he grows corn on corn on corn, etc for 17 years at the time I believe. 
Then he had hog manure applied.  He uses a microbial innoculant on the
residue in fall with some microbe food to 'cook the pot'.  He turns that
residue into the soil as deep as his soil allows.  I had a laugh when he
said the tractor was slipping on the ripper running deep, so in contrary to
conventional wisdom of keeping equipment light, he tossed on 2000 pounds of
wheel weights to get it to grip.  After that fall tillage, in spring he
lightly, 2 inches deep, field cultivates the field to break the crust and
no deeper so as to not disturb that microbial action, yet open the surface
for more oxygen.  He also does lots of things right growing the plants, but
I won't get into that part.  The end result is corn plants that grow deep
with large root systems to feed the plant by 'borrowing' from the
biological systems working in the soil.  His aggressive soil management and
not necessarily doing what is inline with common thinking puts his crop
ahead of others.  Proof you can open a soil up wide open, get oxygen
through it, and push the aerobic layer downward by using the right tools to
do so.
It's been 2 years since I heard him speak so some of the exact details may
be off a little, but the aggressive soil management tools is paramount to
the success.
Ryan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Robert Norsen 
To: ryalbinger@earthlink.net;Healthy soil and sustainable growing
Sent: 6/14/2006 1:55:46 AM 
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Compost tea and bugs in a jug


Yes Ryan, getting from poor or worn out soil to great soil, like you say,
takes time -  Dr Elaine in her wonderful lectures talked about how nature
can build an inch of top soil , microbes, soild food web and all in - did
she say 50 years?   But with ACT added to rather ordinary soil and with
suitable planting  a foot of top soil can be built in a 2 to 4 years.  
That is when the example was shown of ordinary turf root systems 2 to 5 "
deep but with ACT 36 to 49 " deep within I think 4 months time.     

Them little bugs is magic if you give em a break.   Bob 

Ryan Albinger <ryalbinger@earthlink.net> wrote: