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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Crop rotation & triple cropping

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  • From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Crop rotation & triple cropping
  • Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:58:11 -0400

We get a lot more than just three crops out of our smaller plots.  This year we started planting February 28th.  Last year we were harvesting till nearly the third week of December.  We are in our third year of this high rotation using nothing but on farm amendments.  We are noting a loss in Boron but nothing horrible yet.  We do soil sample each year to keep a close eye on loss.  So far things seem stable, but we do amend a lot with compost from our horse boarding facility.  We compost down about 3500 cubic yards of material from the the stables and then add more matter to it from a friend's lawn service as he needs to dump leaves in the fall.  We run it all through a 250/bu New Holland manure spreader that is PTO driven and we simply pile it on and let it run out.  We add wood ash from our boiler to boost phosphate levels a bit.

I've been considering what to change things around if it proves that our trace minerals.  RIght now my plan is to move to our large plot and do this on a larger scale BUT incorporate small grains, more beans, and three years of no cash crop rest period.  I think I have a good idea wherre to head but its going to take time.  Right now though you can see below how our rotation works.  The nice thing about the micro is that they offer a nice high value crop with almost zero nutrient loss.

Radish > Lettuce > Bean > Micro > Carrot

Micro > Radish > Lettuce > Bean > Micro > Lettuce

We grow other things but most of those sit and take up real-estate, like Garlic, Kale, Basil, Parsley and the like.  These crops rotate into the high density beds the following year and sort of allow the ground to "rest" relative to its use the year prior.

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106




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