Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Sounds like valid points. I'll second the part about animals in the
farmstead  ecosystem.

paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
---------------

The outstanding scientific discovery of the twentieth century is not
television, or radio, but rather the complexity of the land organism. Only
those who know the most about it can appreciate how little we know about
it. 
   - Aldo Leopold in  Round River, 1933
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 6/16/2006 at 10:34 AM Steve Diver wrote:

>A compost application rate of 1 to 2 inches is commonly 
>suggested in horticulture literature, but keep in mind they 
>are talking about home gardens, lawns, and landscape 
>beds.   
>
>It is economically feasible to apply compost at these high 
>application rates on a small scale. 
>
>That's a big reason why gardeners can make fairly quick 
>and noticeable modifications to soil tilth and soil fertility.
>
>Compost weights approximately 800 lbs to 1200 lbs per 
>cubic yard, depending on moisture and bulk density. 
>
>Thus, a rule of thumb weight is 1,000 lbs per cubic yard.
>
>Thus, a rule of thumb calculation is 2 cubic yards per ton.
>
>Typical compost application rates on a per acreage basis
>for farm-scale compost applications are roughly 2-3 tons Low, 
>5-10 tons Medium, and 15-20 tons High. 
>
>At these lower rates, it amounts to just 1/8th to 1/4th 
>inch application of compost to the soil surface.   
>
>Obviously, you need a good spreader to get an even
>application.   
>
>The rate of application depends on on the crop -- 
>agronomic vs horticultural, the cost of compost, and 
>the farmer's judgement of soil and crop needs.
>
>Compost costs roughly $10 to $55 (or more) per ton to 
>produce, depending on the method, level of management 
>intensity, and amendments to the compost windrow such 
>as clay, rock minerals, rock dusts, and microbial inoculants. 
>
>Commercial organic vegetable farmers that crop the soil
>heavily might use 15 tons per acre per year.  
>
>There are some Amish farmers in my region who are 
>making high quality humified compost and applying
>20 tons per acre, raising row crops and veggie crops. 
>They are knowledgeable about the value of compost, 
>humus-building practices, and soil biology. 
>
>Frankly, good quality compost is in limited supplies
>in many parts of the country.   
>
>That's why some organic veggie farms keep a few 
>cows, to generate manure and bedding so they can 
>make their own compost. 
>
>Steve Diver 
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Ryan Albinger <ryalbinger@earthlink.net>
>>Sent: Jun 15, 2006 6:38 PM
>>To: "ryalbinger@earthlink.net,  Healthy soil and sustainable growing"
><livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
>>Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] compost
>>
>>I forgot to add this.  I did some calculations.  I seem to hear that 1
>inch
>>of compost applied per year to food growing areas as being a norm, so
that
>>is a number I used.
>>If 1 inch of compost were added to 1 acre of land it would take 3630 cu
ft
>>of compost (43560 sq feet, 1/12 of foot of compost) or 134 cubic yards
>>(3630cu ft / 27 cuft/cu yd).  At a price of $40 per cubic yard of
compost,
>>that would cost $5360 per acre.  Does this seem correct?
>>Ryan
>
>
>
>
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