[Redbaron]

Time for an update. Today I will document the starting soil tests for all three plots, so everyone can see the challenges I will be facing this year. Unfortunately this will be an extreme challenge on my new plot.

As you can see, the north plot (1/10th acre) that has been using the system 2 years now is sufficient in all nutrients except nitrogen..rating 13. However, this is simply the free nitrogen. Biological processes will release nitrogen throughout the growing season as needed in a biology based system. SOM is still only 2.6% but it is rising. That plot I am sure will be fine.

The south plot (1 acre) has only been in the project 1 year. Still slightly deficient in P and K and only 5 in nitrogen. That field obviously needs some help. I am bound to get better yields than last year but I will probably need some form of organic amendments. I'll probably go with mostly a wood chip based compost. I haven't fully 100% decided yet. Partially composted wood chip mulch I can get free by the truckloads. Fully composted will cost 10 dollars a trailer load. Might be worth it as nutrients are needed and SOM is only 1.4% .

The new plot I call north east (1/2 acre and expandable in future years) is pretty bad indeed. Easy to see why this farm was abandoned. Soil is very deficient in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Soil is also slightly acidic (6.0). Nitrogen is only 2 and worse, phosphorus is only 2! SOM is 1.7%. This will certainly be a severe challenge. Besides compost and mulches, I may also need to buy some fertilizer as well. I haven't decided which one yet, but leaning towards Texas Tomato food.

The good news is all three plots are LitB soil type. That's a sandy loam clay that responds extremely well to good organic management practises. It may be terrible now and it may be a challenge, but I suspect that even in this horrible state I should be able to pull a profitable crop with minimal inputs....and improve the soil at the same time. We will see.