At Silver Bull Farm, we’re constantly learning and refining our farming practices to create healthier, more sustainable soil. We firmly believe in using cover crops to feed soil microorganisms, as their roots help maintain the soil’s structure.
One often overlooked issue in home gardens is soil compaction, which can be caused by heavy summer rains. This compaction reduces oxygen levels in the soil, impacting plant health. To combat this, we break up surface crusts manually or use heavy mulch to protect the soil.
In our area with high-magnesium clay soil, we’re learning about the importance of calcium in loosening the soil. It’s complex, as calcium carbonate, commonly used in agriculture, needs microorganisms to break it down into a form plants can absorb. Unfortunately, chemicals that kill these microorganisms can hinder this process. We’re exploring other forms of calcium, like gypsum, which breaks down faster but can lower soil pH.
Choosing the right seeds and plants is crucial for a successful garden. At Silver Bull Farm, we offer a curated selection of high-quality seeds and scion wood that are well-suited to our climate and growing conditions. Our seed garlic, for example, is selected for its hardiness, flavor, and disease resistance, ensuring that you get the best possible start in your garden. Additionally, we are always available to help you choose the right varieties for your specific needs and goals.
Our commitment to sustainability extends to the resources we provide. We emphasize eco-friendly gardening practices that not only benefit your garden but also contribute to a healthier environment. From composting and water conservation tips to organic pest control methods, we aim to help you garden in a way that’s both productive and environmentally responsible.
Soil compaction is often an overlooked problem in home gardens. When everyone plants in the spring most gardens are tilled or tilled by nature with the breaking up of soil from frost coming out of the ground. It doesn’t take long for hard summer rains to compact upper layers of soil and begin removing oxygen from your precious crops. I often times find myself breaking surface crust with hand tools or putting on heavy mulch to protect the soil from rain compaction. In areas with high magnesium clay soil, I am in the process of learning the importance of calcium, and its ability to loosen this type of soil. It can get complicated when you start learning about various forms of calcium. Calcium carbonate, which is most used by farmers in commercial agriculture, needs to be broken down by microorganisms in the soil to become a bio-available form of calcium for plants. If you spray your fields with chemicals that kill microorganism’s, you can stop the ability for plant to get proper calcium. There is other more bio available forms of calcium such as gypsum. Gypsum is calcium sulfate, and although can break down faster than calcium carbonate, it lowers your PH in the soil. There is a delicate balance for all of us trying to maintain a healthy soil structure in the desire to have a flourishing garden. I hope to master this process and will share my wins and losses with people who are interested in becoming better farmers. Hopefully, this will be done by instructional videos I make in the future.
Nitrogen. All farmers want nitrogen to grow their crops. I understand the importance in healthy crops, but I also understand the damage it does to ecosystems we depend on for everyday life. If you are interested in farming, I’m sure you have heard of regulators trying to reduce the amount of nitrogen farmers are using and farmers claiming that regulators are trying to destroy the farming industry. I am currently studying the work of William A. Albrecht. He was chairman in the Department of Soils for the University of Missouri. He was considered the authority for soil fertility from 1940’s through 1960’s and developed a series of books called, “The Albrecht Papers”. I suggest anyone who is interested in becoming a better farmer or gardener to go back in time and read the smartest people of the old world. Maybe we can all learn something from the past to guide us in the future. Albrecht suggested proper use of calcium can allow a drastic reduction in the use of nitrogen. Instead of fighting with regulators of nitrogen, maybe we can become smarter at the way we operate our farms, gardens, and orchards, and lead a whole new revolution in farming. Is it too much to ask for clean rivers and lakes, while having fertile fields with thriving crops? Call me a dreamer, but I believe we can do it. I believe you can do this!
