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Sunn Hemp: Soil-Building Superhero with Forage Potential
Sunn hemp, a tropical plant primarily grown as a cover crop or green manure, has increased dramatically in popularity over the last decade. Originally from India, it’s easy to understand what makes it...
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Book of the Week: Biodynamic Pasture Management
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from an Acres U.S.A. book, Biodynamic Pasture Management, by Peter Bacchus. Copyright 2013, softcover, 160 pages. Regular price: $20.00. From Chapter 3: Organic Soil...
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Farming the CO2 Factor
In a rare moment in an early Rover reconnaissance mission to Mars, carbon dioxide (CO2) was released from a soil sample during a scientific test and was thought to indicate the presence of microbes....
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True Soil Health: Create the Capacity to Function Without Intervention
My philosophy is that whatever you do on your farm should improve soil health. But how do you know what that is? The USDA defines soil health as, “The continued capacity of soil to function as a vital...
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Soil Balancing Call-in Conversations
The Ohio State Soil Balancing team will host a public conversation about current beliefs, practices and research efforts related to soil balancing. The first of three Conference Call-in events is...
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Book of the Week: Organic No-Till Farming
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from an Acres U.S.A. book, Organic No-Till Farming, written by Jeff Moyer. Copyright 2011, softcover, 204 pages. Normal Price: $28.00. From Chapter 1: No-Till Basics...
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Soil Balancing: Worth Another Look — The Ohio State University Soil Balancing...
Farmers make multiple management decisions daily — decisions driven by questions and input. Helpful input can come from many sources, guiding what to choose or avoid. Most university-led research has...
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Keys to Composting for Increased Soil Health, Vitality
For many years we have been composting various agricultural and forest materials at Tobacco Road Farm to provide for the soil fertility in order to raise vegetable crops without the use of pesticides....
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Book Excerpt: How to Start and Operate a Successful Container Plant Business
The book Made From Scratch: How to Start and Operate a Successful Container Plant Business by Louise Placek serves as a comprehensive, step-by-step guide for those interested in learning how best to...
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Magnesium, the Unheralded Star
Although nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and even calcium are often discussed, magnesium is mostly unheralded and misunderstood. In this article I will examine the nature of magnesium deficiency and...
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Book excerpt: A Biodynamic Farm
The book A Biodynamic Farm by Hugh Lovel is a practical, how-to guide to understanding the definition of biodynamics, and practicing biodynamic techniques on your farm. An expert in quantum...
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How to Establish Dung Beetles in Pastures (and Why You Want to Do This)
I only recently became interested in dung beetles, largely because it has only been recently that we have had any to become interested in. As a rancher, I must create the conditions for dung beetles...
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Soil Health, Quality & Microbial Diversity
Soil health and soil quality have evolved as important concepts as we continue to expand our understanding of soil as the vital factor for vigorous plant productivity. These concepts have also...
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Gabe Brown on Ecosystem Stewardship
North Dakota farmer and rancher Gabe Brown stands at the forefront of the regenerative agriculture movement. He is perhaps best known for popularizing the concept of cover crop cocktails as a key...
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Building the Microbial Bridge to Support Nutrient Availability
The root zone around plants, known as the rhizosphere, is an area of intense activity in the soil. It’s a lot like the snack stand at the state fair on a hot day. Everyone is crowding around trying to...
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Principles of Permanent Agriculture
When we look at the great soils of the world, we can see these principles of permanent agriculture in action. The prairies have the grasses and clovers that together structure the soil and incorporate...
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Book excerpt: Eco-Farm by Charles Walters – The Soil-Life Connection
Acres U.S.A. founder Charles Walters wrote Eco-Farm: An Acres U.S.A. Primer to be the definitive guide to eco-farming. That includes managing farm and ranch soil fertility, crops, fertilizers, weeds,...
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Setting the Table to Optimize Fertilizers, Soil Amendments
By using detailed measurements and specifically formulated procedures for controlling nutrient excesses and deficiencies in soils, it is possible to define, measure and manage soil fertility to help...
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Understanding Soil Carbon Dynamics
Carbon is an often overlooked, but very important component of the soil. We know how to manage nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for maximum production, and that micronutrients play a critical role...
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Biological Inoculants for Soil Health
As part of efforts to improve the soils and quality and yield of produce at Tobacco Road Farm we have been utilizing a biological inoculant made from locally sourced microorganisms. This inoculant...
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