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  • From: "maury sheets" <maurysheets AT verizon.net>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] A Farmer's Opinion on NRCS and why > it's a poor program
  • Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:17:51 -0400

Tom,

Agreed, but I think I pretty much said the same thing without going into
the chemistry too hard. I agree totally, except it should have anaerobic
digestion as one step in the process, and then you have a free energy source
included along with a fertilizer that is just as good as the manure.

Maury

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Kumpf
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 5:57 PM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] A Farmer's Opinion on NRCS and why > it's a
poor program

Maury,


"Manure is fine to spread on the ground and is considered organic, but if is
spread when the plants don't need it, then the nitrogen is converted to
nitrate and that is flushed into the groundwater if heavy rains follow- go
figure."

I take issue with your information on manure, manure is not the same as
water soluble fertilizers. Synthetic Nitrogen leaches from most to less
leachable in the following order: Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonium, Ammonia,
Nitrous Oxide. So, how you use the source of nitrogen is important.
I have been reading and listening to Dr. Elaine Ingham's lectures on
the Soil Food Web and Compost Food Web. In an organic system, the manure
would most likely off gas NH3-Ammonia first, especially if its piled up and
hot. If exposed to excess rains, then nitrates will move first in the soil.
But, bacteria will go to work most likely first to slow down potential
leaching. If incorporated and/or not stockpiled, and better yet composted,
the soil bacteria will begin to break it down and tie it up in their
biomass. This breakdown will slow/stop most of the leaching that might
occur, unless you get some heavy rains. Most farmers avoid spreading manures
before alot of rain, which I'm sure you know/practice. Bacteria are the
least leachable, and they hold onto and cycle the nitrogen over time by
gluing themselves to soil particles. Fungi also are part of the cycling,
and they are the second least leachable source of nitrogen in the soil.
So, in a nutshell, its situation dependent. Time of year, temperature,
quality of life in the soil, etc. Water soluble ferts. are totally soluble,
whereas only a certain portion of manure is at any given time and in
different ways.
Tom K.







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