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  • From: "Peg Cook" <pegcook AT northnet.org>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Organic Fertilizer ?s
  • Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 16:23:44 -0400


Dave,
I would suggest a more indepth analysis. The results you are showing are
the mere basics. I don't know what you paid for your test, but, I charge
$17.00/sample and test for pH, NO3, P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, SO4, Aluminium,
%O.M., C.E.C., Soil Texture (actual %Sand, Silt, & Clay), % Base Saturation
for Ca, Mg, K as well as the Hydrogen concentration in the soil, plus, give
you an organic or chemical recommendation (or both) depending on Customer
preference. I also provide free soil sampling kits.

I have also put together a program called "Common Sense Crop Production" and
(almost) have completed one called "Common Sense Market Farm Production".
Both of these programs explain how to read and understand your soil test
reports and to take this information and put it into practical application
in your fields.

As you stated, it would be easier for you to apply the fertilizers and
amendments as you go along and correct problems now, especially if you are
growing for market production.

I hope this gives you a better direction on what you need to do!

Peg Cook
Cook's Consulting

pegcook AT northnet.org



----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Bennett <dbennett AT micoks.net>
To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 2:32 PM
Subject: Re: Organic Fertilizer ?s


> The form I get back from K*State has spaces for all of the information you
discuss, but it is mostly left blank. I just get:
>
> Soil pH
> Effect CaCO3 LBS/AC
> Avail P ppm
> Exch K ppm
>
> Is this enough to make an truly informed decision or should I pursue a
comprehensive analysis? My concern is that nothing has taken place on this
land for over 20 years & I don't want to fight something later that can be
corrected now.
>
> "Peg Cook" <pegcook AT northnet.org> wrote:
> __________
> >Dave,
> >The first thing I do when I have completed a soil analysis is to (1)
Check
> >the pH. Is the pH within the proper growing range for the I will be
making
> >recommendaitons for? (2) I check the % Base Saturation of Calcium,
> >Magnesium and Potassium and use this as a "guideline" in seeing how
balanced
> >or unbalanced the soil SYSTEM is. (3) Next, I look at the % Organic
Matter,
> >Cation Exchange Capacity (C.E.C.) and the Estimated Nitrogen Release
(ENR),
> >which is calculated from the % Organic Matter to give an "idea" of how
much
> >Nitrogen would become available during the growing season. This is a
figure
> >that I also look at to see if the soil SYSTEM might becoming overloaded
with
> >Nitrogen, as well. (4) Next, I look at the actual nutrient levels of N,
P,
> >K, SO4 to see how low they actually are. Notice up to this point I have
not
> >even mentioned anything about the crop I will be making recommendations
for!
> >(5) After looking at the nutrient levels, then, I look to see what type
of
> >crop is going to be grown. Different crops do require different nutrient
> >needs, but, the crop needs to be able to extract that nutrient WHEN it
needs
> >it for its specific growth purpose. So, the main thing to keep in mind
is
> >that the "soil system is a continual chemical reaction going on" with the
> >help of soil moisture and mircoorganisms, etc. So, as long as the soil
> >system is kept within a good "balance", then, you can provide the proper
> >nutrients to produce the crop you need.
> >
> >The next thing to consider is the "quality" of your crop. In other
words,
> >flavor and palatablity of vegetables and fruit are going to rate higher
than
> >pasture for your sheep. The best way that I have found to check for crop
> >quality is by using a refractometer (brix) meter which measures the sugar
> >level in a plant. The higher the brix, the better the quality of crop.
> >
> >The main reason I test for SO4 is that Sulfates help raise protein
content
> >in plants, thus, raising the sugar level (or brix).
> >
> >I also test for Aluminum and use it as another indicator to see if heavy
> >metals could be a problem in a soil. Also, Aluminum is toxic to plant
> >health and creates a lot of little sutle changes in crops that occur over
a
> >period of time that you might not otherwise notice.
> >
> >Finally, my main philosophy in working with agronomics is: "To optimize
> >nutrient management by balancing the soil system". It seems to keep
working
> >after doing this work for 29 years.
> >
> >I know this is very long, but, I hope it helps answer your questions.
> >
> >Peg Cook
> >Cook's Consulting
> >Lowville, NY.
> >
> >pegcook AT northnet.org
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Dave Bennett <dbennett AT micoks.net>
> >To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> >Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 9:45 AM
> >Subject: Re: Organic Fertilizer ?s
> >
> >
> >> I've been studying soil balance & besides NPK it looks like calcium,
> >magnesium, & sulphur are other major components. The issue I'm running
into
> >is finding out what "balanced" is for each situation.
> >>
> >> For example, I have vegetable prodution, orchard, & pasture for sheep.
Can
> >these all have the same "balance" requirements for their very different
end
> >crops & uses?
> >>
> >> "Peg Cook" <pegcook AT northnet.org> wrote:
> >> __________
> >> >Dave,
> >> >Keep in mind that the numbers that come out of the County Extension
> >Office
> >> >are for "actual" N, P, and K. These numbers do not indicate whether
to
> >use
> >> >a "chemical" fertilizer or an "organic" fertilizer.
> >> >
> >> >Ava did a great job in her posting explaining this to you. I was very
> >> >impressed that she also included SO4!!! However, these numbers do not
> >often
> >> >tell if the soil "system" is in balance. When I do a soil test, I
like
> >to
> >> >see FIRST how balanced the soil system is. On my soil test reports I
> >> >include % Base Saturation for Ca, Mg, and K as well as % Organic
Matter
> >and
> >> >the Cation Exchange Capacity (C.E.C.). I use ALL of these factors to
> >> >determine if the soil "system" is in or out of balance! After looking
at
> >> >that, then, I look to see what nutrients are deficient. Then, I can
give
> >my
> >> >Customer either an organic or chemical recommendation or both,
depending
> >on
> >> >what they ask for. Keep in mind that most land-grant colleges do not
> >test
> >> >for % Base Saturation and C.E.C.
> >> >
> >> >I base all of my soil test recommendations on "Optimizing Nutrient
> >> >Management by Balancing the Soil System." If you have a healthy soil
> >> >"system", you will have healthy crops.
> >> >
> >> >Again, Ava did a very good job of explaining N, P, and K.
> >> >
> >> >Hope this helps!
> >> >
> >> >Peg Cook, Agronomist
> >> >Cook's Consulting
> >> >Lowville, NY
> >> >
> >> >pegcook AT northnet.org
> >> >
> >> >----- Original Message -----
> >> >From: Dave Bennett <dbennett AT micoks.net>
> >> >To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> >> >Sent: Monday, May 15, 2000 7:06 PM
> >> >Subject: Organic Fertilizer ?s
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >> Over the past few months our County Extension Office has been doing
> >soil
> >> >analyses for free. (!) Typically these come back with recommendations
> >like
> >> >"8 - 10 # of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft".
> >> >>
> >> >> Has anyone developed, or seen, some kind of "translation" of this
kind
> >of
> >> >report into a straightforward organic matter application?
> >> >>
> >> >> * * *
> >> >>
> >> >> If I take a box of Blood Meal labeled 12-0-0 & mix it with a box of
> >Bone
> >> >Meal labeled 0-10-0 have I created a batch of 12-10-0?
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Dave
> >> >>
> >> >> ---
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pegcook AT northnet.org
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> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >---
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> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> Dave
> >>
> >> ---
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> >>
> >
> >
> >---
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> >
>
>
> Dave
>
> ---
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>





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