• Soil Fertility Costs

    I wrote a little while ago about my soil fertility plan for the coming year, and in this post I’ll break down some of the costs.  For a brief review, my plan consists of manuring (for nutrients & organic matter), mineral amendments (for P, pH, Ca, and micronutrients), and cover cropping (for O.M. and N). All amounts are for 6 acres and costs include freight.

    Manures

    – bulk truckloads Chicken Manure – 8 yards per acre – $2000 Cow Manure – 10 yards per acre – $1500

    Minerals –

    bought in bags (more $ but easier to handle and to keep dry) Oyster Shell Lime – 1 ton per acre – $1700 Soft Rock Phosphate – ½ ton per acre – $1700 Azomite – ¼ ton per acre – $1850

    Cover Crop

    (for 5 acres in winter, 1 acre in summer) Winter blend (pre-mixed organic seed) – 100 lbs per acre – $700 Summer Blend (buckwheat & vetch) – $95

    Total 2019 Soil Fertility Costs: $9545

    (or $1590 per acre)

    its a lot, I know. But at present I find myself needing to fill some big fertility gaps, and the mineral components are great for this. Most years I expect to be able to rely on the nutrients and O.M. supplied by the manures and the cover crops. Additionally, I hope that by the end of next year I’ll fulfill a goal to work my other 2 acres into the rotation – putting a different fourth of my acreage into a year-long cover crop each season.