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Week 4 – Basics of Ecological Soil Health Management

Posted by nwitham | October 6, 2020

Presenter’s Power Point:

PowerPoint – CS – WFP – Week 4 – Doug Collins – Ecological Soil Health Management PDF

PowerPoint – CS – WFP – Week 4 –  Midnight’s Farm PPT

PowerPoint – CS – WFP – Week 4 –  Midnight’s Farm PDF

Recorded Lecture:

Recording – Cultivating Success™: Whole Farm Planning – WEEK 4 – Ecological Soil Health Management

Learning Objectives:

  • Become aware of the soil as a living, biological complex.
  • Learn ways to manage soils to develop a positive soil environment for plant growth
  • Learn how to take a soil sample for testing
  • Learn how to determine soil texture by the feel method
  • Learn how to use and benefit from compost and other soil amendments

Topics:

  • Descriptions of soil qualities and the importance to plant growth
  • Soil physical attributes
  • Soil chemical attributes
  • Soil biological factors
  • Practices and how they affect soil health and subsequent plant growth
  • Composting
  • Use of compost, manure, and other soil amendments

Readings:

Resource- Soil Management for Small Farms PDF

Resource- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Quality Indicator Sheets WEBSITE

Resource- Soil Sampling PDF

Resource- Guide to Soil Texture by Feel WEBSITE

Assignments:

Activity- Soil Problem Farm Scenario DOC

Assignment – Soil Amendments DOC

 

 

 

 

One thought on "Week 4 – Basics of Ecological Soil Health Management"

  1. Simeon Waidhima says:

    This presentation on ecological soil management; the role of parental material, climate, relief, biological organisms, time and human factors was excellent.

    The physical properties, functions, workability, fertility, and climate soil factor were well documented.

    Soil survey, role of cover crop rotation came out well.

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