cornell soil health train the trainer workshop · crusting and plow layer/surface compaction...

Cornell Soil Health Train the Trainer Workshop

Putting it all together: a Framework for Soil Health Management Planning

Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune

Cornell University, August 5-8, 2015

So … you received

your results …

Soil Processes

Soil Management

Soil Health Test Indicators

• Understand soil processes & management impacts

• Identify constraints through soil health assessment

• Select & implement appropriate management strategies

• Monitor change and adjust management

How do I use soil health assessment information?

Interpretation for each indicator’s status included in report

Constrained and Suboptimal indicators are flagged in

report management table

Principles of using Soil Health Assessment for Management Decisions:

• Soil Health Assessment Report is a Management Guide, not a prescription

• Different mgmt approaches can mitigate same problem

• Management practices can affect multiple indicators

• Information from varied sources for management decisions: research, books, workshops, field days, local experience

• Adapt Soil Health Information to a management strategy to fits the field/farm

• Soil health changes slowly over time and effects can be additive

Principles of Soil Health Management1. Report is a Management

Guide, not a prescription2. Different mgmt approaches

can mitigate same problem

Remediating & PreventingCrusting and Plow Layer/Surface Compaction

• Tillage sometimes a temporary solution

• Reduced or restricted (targeted) tillage

• Don’t till when wet!

• Fibrous-rooted cover/sod crops

• Fresh organic matter additions

• Maintain surface cover

Long TermSoil Building!

Remediating and Preventing Subsoil Compaction

Don’t plow when soil is wet!

Drainage

Reduce tillageDeep tillage/subsoiling

Deep-rooted crops



can mitigate same problem3. One management practice can

affect multiple indicators



can mitigate same problem3. One management practice can

affect multiple indicators4. Information from varied

sources: workshops, field days, local experience

5. Adapt Report Information to a mgmt strategy to fit your field/farm

6. Soil health changes slowly over time

Soil Health Management Planning

Developed framework for new Conservation Activity Plans:

Soil Health Management Plan (SHMP) for whole-farm assessment & management

Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune Dr. Dorn Cox

Dr. Brandon SmithNH Conservation Districts

Funding from NH NRCS CIG, Specialty Crop Block Grant. Match from NH Charitable Foundation, SWCD, and other sources

1. Determine farm background and management history

Compile background info: history by management unit, farm operation

type, equipment, access to resources, situational opportunities or limitations.

2. Set goals and sample for soil health

Determine number and distribution of soil health samples needed according

to operation background and goals.

3. For each management unit: identify and explain constraints, prioritize

Soil Health Report identifies constraints, guides prioritization. Explain results based

on background, and adjust priorities.

4. Identify feasible management options

Management suggestions table available as part of Soil Health Report, or online with

NRCS practice linkages

5. Create short and long term Soil Health Management Plan

Integrate agronomic science of 2-4 with grower realities of 1 to create a specific short-term

schedule of management practices for each management unit and an overall long-term strategy

6. Implement, monitor, and adapt

Implement and document management practices. Monitor progress, repeat testing, and evaluate

outcomes. Adapt plan based on experience and data over time.

SH Management Planning Process Overview

An Example: Organic mixed operation

Lee, NH

Looks like ideal management – perpetual perennial cover and no tillage … BUT….

Looks like ideal management – perpetual perennial cover and no tillage … BUT….

Nutrient Management Planning has been critical in identifying

chemical constraints: P and K are low, pH marginal

… but the pond is showing clear signs of P pollution!

What is going on here?

1. Farm background




Sloped hay field, sometimes grazed – especially recently, pond below field is full of algae (P excess); growth mediocre. Visible erosion, runoff during rain. Diverse inventory of field equipment, grower inclined to experiment with anything. Organic mixed operation.

Improve soil health, productivity, on-farm nutrient and carbon cycling, and long-term sustainability, and regain use of the pond for recreational purpose

3. Constraints

Management must address explicit physical and then biological & chemical processes

Usually Pastures have better infiltration But this one is compacted, causing runoff

a) aggregated soil b) compacted/ soil, large pores lost despite good aggregate stability

Observed: significant runoff during rain events



3. For each management unit: identify and explain constraints, prioritize


5. Create short and long term Soil Health Management Plan

6. Implement, monitor, and adapt


Sloped hay field, sometimes grazed – especially recently, pond below field is full of algae (P excess); growth mediocre. Visible erosion, runoff during rain. Diverse inventory of field equipment, grower inclined to experiment with anything. Organic mixed operation.

Improve soil health, productivity, on-farm nutrient and carbon cycling, and long-term sustainability, and regaining use of the pond for recreational purpose

Biggest constraint: Surface compaction causing loss of P inputs to pond, while soil P is low.Also: Subsurface compaction, low active carbon; K, P, and pH below optimal

Need mechanical disturbance first: Surface mechanical disturbance, deep ripping/subsoilingalong contours. Then fresh organic inputs, wood ash and manure additions, intersee for vigorous rooting.

5. Short- and Long-term PlanDate Operation/crop Constraint addressed Notes

Aug 2012

Subsoil with yeoman’s plow Subsoil compaction Watch out for soil moisture

Aug 2012

Apply woodash (based on lime and nutrient recs)

Low K, pH (some P) Must be incorporated due to surface hardness

Aug 2012

Aerator Surface compaction Watch out for soil moisture

Aug 2012

Drill tillage radish Subsoil compaction, surface compaction, low active C

Rent NT drill at local conservation district

Oct 2012

Rotate in herd to graze forage mix Low P Watch out for soil moisture. Repeat aerway if neededWatch out for soil moisture. Repeat aerway if needed.

Oct 2012

Incorporate manure with aerway Low P

2013+ Interseed mix of sorghum sudan& forage soybean mix. Rotational grazing or haying.

Surface and subsoil compaction, low active C, low P

Long term Plan: develop rotational grazing strategy and infrastructuredefine sacrifice paddock for poor weather, don’t traffic/graze/disturb wet soil experiment with interseeding diverse forages and grains

September 2012: Ripped with Yeoman’s Plow

addresses subsurface compaction

Photos: Bianca Moebius-Clune

6. Adaptive Implementation and monitoring

September 2012: Aeratoraddresses surface compaction


October 2013: Spread wood ash

(addresses K, some P, pH)


Oct 2013: Seed cover crop mix/forage of hairy vetch, winter rye, wheat,

barley. Single pass 3” rotovator & no-till drill.

increased active C, decreased surface compaction, increased infiltration

Photos: Dorn Cox

6. Adaptive Implementation

• Insert correct stuffDate Operation/crop Constraint addressed Notes

Sep 2012 Subsoil with yeoman’s plow to 20” depth, 30” spacing

Subsoil compaction Unable to apply woodash

Sep 2012 Aerway with one hole offset Surface compaction

Spring and summer 2013

No grazing, 2 hay harvests Prevent manure-P runoff into pond

Need for hay crop

Oct 2013 Woodash application. Low K, pH, (some P) Delayed due to wet 2013 spring and woodashspreader availability from district

Oct 2013 Seeded to hairy vetch, winter rye, wheat, barley mix in single pass rotovatorcultivation to 3”

active C, surface hardness

For multiple potential crops: feed grain, cover crop seed, or hay

Results: Vigorous interseeded crop

• Rye-vetch mix soil benefits– Alleviate surface

compaction

– Infiltration

– Aggregation

– Biomass for active C

– N fixation

• Agronomic uses– Feed grain

– Cover crop mix

– Hay Dorn Cox

Results: Vigorous clover regrowth

• 2014 response to woodash (pH, K, P) –clover was not seeded

• Improved feed quality

• Increased biomass production

• N fixation

Dorn Cox

Results: Pond eutrophication cleared

Recreational use resumed in 2013, improved in 2014

Photos: Dorn Cox

Conclusions

• Nutrient constraints can interact with physical and biological constraints to create water quality issues

• Need to understand the whole system

• Prescriptions have limitations• Use systems indicators as

feedback for adaptive management

• Need for comprehensive Soil Health Management Planning – beyond NMP, and adaptive implementation for progress in soil and water conservation

Moebius-Clune, et al., 2014. Implementation of a Soil Health Management Plan resolves pond eutrophication at Tuckaway Farm, NH. What’s Cropping Up? https://blogs.cornell.edu/whatscroppingup/category/soil-health/

https://blogs.cornell.edu/whatscroppingup/category/soil-health/

Cornell Soil Health Train the Trainer Workshop

Soil Health Management Planning ScenariosA Group Exercise to apply gained understanding

Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune

Cornell University, August 5-8, 2015

Soil Health Group Report Guidelines

Group Presentation:

As a group, collaboratively develop a Soil Health Management Plan, and present later today.

Use the concepts and knowledge of practical management practices you and your team members have learned over the course of the Workshop and in your profession to develop this plan.

Use your Soil Health Management Planning Worksheets and Scenarios

SHMP Process Worksheet

• After reading scenario, set goals

• Explain constraints

• ID options

SHMP Process Worksheet

• Create specific short-term plan

• Propose general directions for improved long-term soil health management

Clarifications

• Short-term practice: can feasibly be implemented right away, possibly with immediate effect, this or next season, farm is willing and able to do this, 0-18 month time-frame

• Long-term practice: takes more planning, longer to achieve impact, may involve equipment purchases that are not immediately possible, or a significant amount of learning on the grower’s part, realistic 2-10yr time-frame, given scenario

• Practices you suggest must be practices that are realistic, agronomically/horticulturally correct (such as cover crop planting times, weather considerations)

• Practices must also be ones that the farmer you are consulting for is actually willing to DO (short-term), or CONSIDER moving toward even if in slow and small increments (long-term).

• If you find that you are missing critical information about your scenario for proper decision making, you can make a table of assumptions about the situation (e.g. “open to new approaches means they are willing to put time into learning about XXX”)

Location/Site History: 5 acre abandoned urban lot in Pittsburgh that is planned to be used for production of fresh vegetables for local restaurants, including fresh greens, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini, kale, and onions.

Opportunities, Challenges, Grower Info: This operation will be managed by a local entrepreneur and the project is regarded as a potential model for urban agriculture. Volunteers will be recruited for some of the field work. Restaurants are looking for sustainable practices and prefer organic vegetables, but the entrepreneur has not yet decided on this. She needs advice.

There is a $15,000 grant available from the city to invest in soil improvements and equipment purchases. The entrepreneur also has a $100,000 line of credit with a local credit union.

Urban GardenGroup 1

Conventional GrainGroup 2

Location/Site History: Productive soil down the road from the Aurora research farm – this field is 50 ac of mostly Lima silt loam. Long history of moldboard plowing at 7-9” depth. Field has been in continuous corn for grain for well over 20 years, and soil was eroded when taken on by this grower back then. Sidedressing usually done at V6 at 200lb/ac since 200 bu/ac is the usual yield. Took huge yield hit last year due to extreme rainfall, almost failed due to drought the year before that. Corn was yellow. Much of field was soggy, some ponded areas. Crusts formed early.

Opportunities, Challenges, Grower Info: There are a number of dairy farms and an equipment dealer in close vicinity. Farmer is concerned with weather variability, especially with all the talk of climate change and how this is how things will be in the long run. He is fairly social, willing to talk to growers in the area about options, but is also cautious/risk-averse. Participated in a research trial for which he was given this soil health test and similar results for a couple of other fields he had trials on, and was told his soil looks ‘tillage addicted’ – all news to him. He isn’t up for spending a ton of money on equipment. He does have a smartphone, and is somewhat computer-inclined, and is curious about options. He’s ideally looking for one tried-and-true, simple solution that can apply to the rest of his farm, since he manages 2000 acres and does not have a lot of extra time for special management of one field.

Location/Site History: Western NY, within 10 miles of population centers. 50 acres total of very intensive production on this farm. Good vegetable land is getting to be hard to come by – this 5 ac field is partly covered by two high tunnels (they happen to be movable, but haven’t been moved). Long history of moldboard tillage and intensive secondary tillage in an attempt to alleviate spring compaction. Multiple crops grown per year. Recently crops in high tunnel are looking a little odd (curled and brown leaf edges). White crust was noticed on the surface a few times – grower didn’t know what it was. Growing a lot of greens, tomatoes and brassicas for wholesale, and variety of other vegetables, including sweet corn, which looked awful after all that rain last year. Some veggies sold at one larger farmer’s market.

Opportunities, Challenges, Grower Info: Grower uses seasonal laborers. Farm has access to various organic matter sources: Nursery for wood chips, sawdust, composted manure, composted food scraps, municipal leaves. Daughter is in college and concerned about the nearby Great Lakes. She’s also computer-savvy and interested in taking over the business. Grower has no experience with cover crops, willing to spend money to try new approaches – if they promise to pay off, but doesn’t have much time. Varied equipment for veg production is available.

Conventional VegetablesGroup 3

Location/Site History: In Eastern India, Jharkhand State. The fields (all less than 1 acre) are located near a village and the owners grow rice during the monsoon (kharif) season and flood irrigated wheat during the dry (rabi) season. Cattle also roam over the fields during the inter-crop periods. Cow dung is often picked up, dried, and used for cooking fuel. The straw is used to feed the bullocks, which are used to puddle the soil for the rice crop, and plow for the wheat crop.

Opportunities, Challenges, Grower Info:This is a tribal area with traditional family structures. Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are generally available, although expensive. Individual farmers have very little money, and loans from banks are both cumbersome and expensive (high interest rates). There is a regional coop that provides agricultural inputs and services.

Farm families would like to diversify their income beyond basic grain production, and transportation to the nearby city of Ranchi is feasible.

Rice-Wheat in IndiaGroup 4

Location/Site History: This 40 ac field is part of a 60 cow organic dairy near Niagara Falls, NY. This field has been in corn silage for 5 years, receiving bedded pack manure frequently since there is not much storage. The dairy buys wood shavings from a local carpenter and wood chips from the city of Niagara Falls. Before this the field was hay field for a long time. This June

the COS crop failed or was set back across the region due to a June 5 frost (failed here), and now it is too late to plant more, but the forage is badly needed. Weather’s just getting worse it seems.

Opportunities, Challenges, Grower Info:Buying forage this yr would be far too expensive – must grow more! Growers are older, but their nephew is taking an interest in their operation. They have never used a tillage system other than moldboard plowing and don’t really want to branch out. ‘It always worked, it’s fine.’ They incorporate manure with their Aerway on occasion. The dairy has received requests to compost food waste from the college cafeteria since the nephew started to windrow some of their bedded pack to sell compost to a local nursery. He is considering other options for diversification and value addition now that he’s done with college. He wants to move to more rotational grazing. His aunt and uncle are ok with this as long as he manages it, and have given him the go ahead to seed down this and the neighboring field to pasture. He has also found some neighbors with other unconventional equipment he could rent as needed.

Organic DairyGroup 5

U-Pick and Farm StandBerries and Apples

Group 6Location/Site History: 15 minutes from Rochester, NY, this operation is new and started by a young couple who bought 45 acres, including this 25 acre field and one across the street, from a retiring long-term intensive large scale whole sale vegetable grower. Land was moldboard plowed for years and intensively cultivated. The perennial crops will be planted this fall.

Opportunities, Challenges, Grower Info: Soil is addicted to tillage, and quite sandy. Implement dealer, dairy and flexible neighbor nearby. They think they have some flexibility in preparing their land. They have limited capital although a $200,000 line of credit from the bank. They plan to hire some seasonal help. Recent Cornell graduates (they met there!) and open to trying out new ideas and have some experience with cover crops at the university student farm. Their goal is to become certified organic over the next years.

cornell soil health train the trainer workshop · crusting and plow layer/surface compaction...

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