In addition to small increases in soil organic matter (SOM= SOC X 1.7) we noted an increase in the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N), which serves as a measure of organic matter quality. Increases in the C/N, like the one we see here, are typical in successful organic systems when new practices have increased the amount of young, biologically and physically active organic matter. As is common when converting a conventionally managed field, soil fertility status measured by standard tests was in the medium to high range for all variables when transition began. Even though plots received little-to-no fertilizer additions, soil nutrient stocks increased during the study. The calcium-to-magnesium ratio, which is already above the 7.5 value recommended by many, increased under organic management.

• Organic practices commonly used in vegetable crop, row crop and pasture-based systems build soils and maintain or improve fertility even where manures are not used.
  
• Standard soil tests obtained at the start of transition period were useful benchmarks for the system. Trends in nutrient contents (e.g., P and pH) suggest fertilizer, manure and/or lime additions are not needed at this time.
  
• Trends in organic matter quality and quantity prove the practices we used have improved the soil.

Grant funding program seeks innovative ideas for the farm and ranch
CONTACT:
North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Farmer Rancher Grant Program
402.472.0809 or 1.800.529.1342 (toll free)
402.472.0280
ncrsare@umn.edu
www.sare.org/ncrsare
 
The NCR-SARE program has just released guidelines for this year’s farmer/rancher grant proposals. Please read the information provided below about the program. Three farmers who contribute to the New Ag Network have been very successful over the past two years in getting funded for organic weed control projects through this grant.  These farmer/rancher grants can help you explore new and innovative ideas for your farming operation.  I encourage you to take some time to put your great ideas into a grant proposal for this NCR-SARE program. – Dale Mutch, Michigan State University.

The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is seeking innovative farmers or ranchers who want to implement a new, sustainable, idea to improve their operation. NCR-SARE is currently accepting applications for their 2007 Farmer Rancher grant program.
 
NCR-SARE awards grants to farmers and ranchers for on-farm research, demonstrations, and education projects. By providing funds ranging from $6,000 per individual grant to up to $18,000 for grants awarded to groups of three or more, NCR-SARE helps facilitate essential agricultural research and development.
 
Beverly Pender is an urban farmer in Kansas City. Utilizing the lots she owns, and the lots donated to her from neighbors, she has been able to carry on Soul and Soil Rainbow Gardens. Thanks to NCR-SARE grant funding, she will be able to add on to her gardens, and local youth, seniors, and the homeless will also reap rewards. “Our objective is to promote urban farming and to teach the community about healthy food production,” Pender explained.
 
Pender’s grant is just one example of the wide range of projects that NCR-SARE has funded over the years. Other funded topics include pest and disease management, soil conservation, local marketing, public education, waste management, agri-tourism, crop diversity, aqua-culture, and many others.
 
NCR-SARE grants are awarded based on the applicants ability to describe how their project will be sustainable in terms of having long-term profitability, being good for the environment, producing healthy foods, being socially responsible and supporting their community.
 
Last year NCR-SARE funded 52 Farmer Rancher grants totaling $400,037. This year farmers and ranchers throughout the North Central Region will once again have the opportunity to apply for roughly $400,000 in grant assistance. The 12 states that comprise the North Central Region are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The NCR-SARE program receives its funding through the United States Department of Agriculture.
 
Grant proposals are due in the NCR-SARE office by December 3, 2007. Interested applicants may contact Joan Benjamin with NCR-SARE at 402.472.0809 or ncrsare@umn.edu. The current Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals application can be found on the NCR-SARE web site at http://ncr.sare.org/prod.htm. Previous project reports are made available through the national SARE web site at www.sare.org.

Southeast Indiana, Decatur County – Gary Reding
We finally got a rain greater than a half inch!! We had 1.57 inches over the weekend, which is probably too late for the grain crops, but is welcomed for the grass pastures. We have been feeding hay for about a month and are using up our supply for the winter. Hopefully we will be able to get some baled off the fields that will be rotated into popcorn next spring. I am hoping to plant some rye for cover and winter grazing to help with the hay shortage. This very trying summer will cause a long trying winter, I am sure.

Our popcorn is mostly brown now with some green remaining. We will probably start harvest in a week or two. It must be down to 17 percent moisture to minimize any seed scuffing that would cause a reduction in popping volume. It is all standing great so far and we just hope to not get any severe weather with high winds.

The soybeans we planted first are almost completely yellow and have lost about half their leaves. The later planted field is 80 percent yellow and just starting to lose some leaves now. This rain is too late for either of the plantings. The seed size will be smaller than normal, which should reduce yield below what was possible. They seem to be podded well and most pods have three beans in them, which is helpful.

Our grass is starting to green up just a little after the rain on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 7-8). We have kept the cattle off during the drought in hopes of the flush after the rain. I am counting on that right now. Even our fescue went into full dormancy during the heat. We brought in some young doe-lings to complement the cattle and eat some weeds that would not be eaten by the cattle. They are cleaning up some iron weeds and multi-floral roses in our winter fescue pasture quite well. Next week we will finish artificially inseminating our cows and will attempt to run the goats with the cows from now on.

I am still cleaning some popcorn for delivery and that is keeping us busy until harvest.

South Central Indiana, Brown County – Dale Rhoads
Last week we were still hot and dry affecting germination of fall salad plantings. We got four inches of rain on Saturday and the weather has cooled significantly. Anything that had not germinated has now come up and we are finishing those plantings this week. We have not watered any this week, but will have to start the middle of this week.

Leaves are falling off the trees now and are coloring. Drought has brought more deer into the fields and we are putting several strategies in place now including killing one deer, putting the dogs on them, some fencing and we’re going to try some repellant. We expect deer pressure to rise as cooler weather comes on.

Late sweet corn that did not get watered produced 50 ears from 2,000 feet of row. Nearby conventional corn fields have a lot of stalks with no ears. Recent rain put 12 inches of water in the irrigation pond, which should be sufficient for the rest of the year without moving the pump into deeper water.

Currently we are planting salad greens; weeding and more weeding of fall salad greens, putting in some cover crops as summer areas come out of production; and harvesting tomatoes, leeks and kales.

In the next two weeks we will finish salad greens plantings, weeding, finish up summer crops and prepare ground for cover crops, fertilize and plant covers, and pull tomatoes out of greenhouse and prepare it for late fall salad crops and spinach.

We are still playing catch up with hay making. We’ve put up 75 acres in the past two weeks with only 10 acres to go. In the next two weeks we will finish harvesting hay.

West Central Illinois, Fulton County – Anne Patterson of Living Earth Farm
It was very hot (mid 90s) the past two weeks, finally cooling off the last three days. The heat resulted in sporadic germination of spinach and mesclun. We got about eight-tenths of an inch of rain the past week. The good result of the sweltering heat this summer was the fact that we got a walk-in cooler built and running. Overall, this has been an excellent growing year for me.

Currently we are harvesting winter squash, leeks and arugula, and potatoes have been dug. We are still harvesting some summer crops: tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, beans, tomatillos, lettuce and herbs. This week will be the last week for summer squash and melons.

We are still planting fall/early winter arugula, spinach, mesclun, winter salad mix—primarily mix of tatsoi, red Russian kale, mizuna, arugula and Tokyo Bekana. The raised beds have had all the summer crops cut and worked in. They are awaiting fall crops or fall cover crops to be planted.

During the next two weeks we will finish the last planting of fall/winter crops; plant cover crops; complete harvest of winter squash, clear field and plant cover crop; put up another deer fence; sort through garlic for seed and remainder to sell direct; and work on field plans on paper in my office.

This is Week 14 of the 20-week CSA harvest season, and we are still spending a lot of time and resources harvesting. In terms of field maintenance, the flea beetles decimated the leaves in the Swiss chard and the kale, so we cut these back radically and let new leaves form. That process meant no harvest for three weeks, but it worked—the leaves have grown back and will soon be ready for harvest.

We will rotate where we grow vegetables next year, after having grown for two years in the current field. We have identified the general location for next year’s field, and now we have to measure and plot it out. Then we will mow the strips, spread lime, spade and then plant cover crops. We have a lot of work to do.

In the next two weeks, I will start harvest of clover seed and prepare fields for fall spelt and wheat planting.

Southwest Michigan, Berrien County – Greg Vlaming of Maple Grove Organic Farm
Tomato and hot pepper harvest is waning in the hoophouse, as are most other crops. While the red Russian kale and lettuce crops are doing well, our booth at the South Haven Farmer’s Market is looking a tad bare. Storage crops are still selling well, with Fingerling, All-Blue and Yukon Gold potatoes, red and white onions, garlic, scallions, cucumbers, cabbage and winter squash still available. We have been busy in the commercial kitchen preparing homemade dill pickle chips and salsa using on-farm ingredients exclusively. Sales of these products have been tremendous among our regular customers.

Ironically, as the season winds down, the chickens have really begun to lay the eggs, increasing their production by more than five times what we had been getting! We did increase their protein ration, and the cool weather near the Lake has been a help as well. Nonetheless, we still cannot keep up with the customer demand for our eggs. Many lessons here for next year as areas rotate out of production, cover crops are seeded. We also prepped our soil in the blueberry block. I spent a Friday afternoon (prior to market harvest) prepping the soil with elemental sulfur, fertilizer and Dairy Doo compost, tilling, then seeding the cover crop, all in a bit of a rush as rain was forecast. Well it rained alright; more than four inches floated much of the seed to the low end of the field. Needless to say, the stand looks a bit spotty – something I will get to enjoy until planting next spring.

I harvested a fourth cutting of alfalfa that was, in fact, larger than the third cutting. I also rotary mowed off the regrowth of the cover crop in the oats field as an additional source of nutrient for the 2008 crop. Winter wheat is all seeded and nicely emerged except for a few dry areas in the fields.