Our soil is the inspiration of the whole lot we do at Frog Hole Farm. As regenerative farmers, we’re continuously working to foster soil well being to make sure it’s vital and alive. Our common – some may say zealous – care of the soil contributes to the flavour and deliciousness of our fruit, harvest after harvest. It’s additionally important to the long-term viability of our farm and the well being of the ecosystem we’re part of.
We take steps all year long to foster soil well being:
- We preserve the bottom lined with wild grasses, forbs, and chosen cowl crops that shield the soil’s construction and foster microbial life.
- We unfold hundreds of tons of compost yearly, which provides life and vitamins to the soil.
Simply as essential are the issues we DON’T do:
- We don’t disturb the soil mechanically with tillage.
- We don’t disturb the soil chemically with artificial amendments.
Annual testing for a holistic image
Soil testing is a part of our stewardship. We take a look at our soil within the fall and winter after the harvest and when life on the farm slows down. We’re searching for important vitamins in our soil which are obtainable for the timber to take up.
We don’t pattern all the farm yearly. As a substitute, we cycle by way of totally different orchards and that provides us a holistic image over time. We begin with a soil probe (a hole tube) and some buckets. Tree roots prolong 10 to 30 centimeters. We plunge the tube 0 to 10 centimeters and 10 to 30 centimeters into the soil. We put the soil in buckets, let it dry for just a few days, after which we ship it to an agricultural lab for testing.
Soil testing offers us an underground snapshot:
- We analyze the degrees of important vitamins which are obtainable to the timber at totally different depths.
- We plan how we’ll amend the soil to convey it again into steadiness and preserve it very important and alive.
Right here’s a abstract of what we search for with our soil checks:
- Ranges of potassium. Fruit timber use potassium greater than some other nutrient. Potassium helps timber distribute water by way of their root methods. It additionally helps timber type their fruit, and it contributes to fruit sugar, colour, and measurement.
- Ranges of nitrogen. Timber take up nitrogen to assist them type leaves and shoots. Steadiness is the important thing. If timber don’t have sufficient nitrogen within the soil, they gained’t produce sufficient leaves or fruit. In the event that they get an excessive amount of nitrogen, the fruit shall be giant and tasteless. Pests and lots of tree ailments thrive on nitrogen, which is another excuse we monitor this nutrient very rigorously.
- Ranges of calcium. Calcium helps fruit timber preserve their trunk, branches, leaves and shoots, and resist the ailments that hurt their fruit. The correct amount of calcium permits the fruit to hold on the tree longer and construct up its sugar, or brix ranges. Farmer Al checks for prime brix earlier than he and the farm crew begin selecting.
- Ranges of phosphorus. Timber use this nutrient in many various methods. It helps the tree convert the solar’s power into sugar to advertise wholesome wooden and roots.
We amend the soil with such vitamins yearly, however the ranges we discover by way of soil testing information our plans.
An infinite net
We’re not being overly dramatic after we say that soil chemistry and microbiology are a number of the most participating academics on the planet! The extra you study soil, the extra there’s to find. Testing helps us discover the perception we have to navigate complicated interactions and relationships to nurture a balanced and wholesome ecosystem.
We’ve skimmed the floor right here, and we’ll be diving into different facets of soil well being within the weeks to come back. Keep tuned!
