Farms.com Home   News

Healthy Soils Demonstration Project Update

By Holly Stover
 
Spring is here and the Healthy Soils Demonstration Project (to read about the background of this project, click here) has been busy since the composts were applied last fall. We have observed the onset of spring, the grasses and wildflowers on the plots are actively growing. With frequent rains and warm temperatures starting, the applied compost has settled into the soil ecosystem.
 
On March 22, a herd of 79 cattle visited our plots and grazed on the grasses. It was a busy week, we also began our second intensive gas sampling campaign and are currently sampling greenhouse gases every day for the next three weeks. The soil microbial and plant communities are active and we are capturing key soil mineralization processes during this time. To learn more about the project, visit us on May 15 at SFREC for the Ranching and Range Management in a Drying Climate Field Day! Click here to see the agenda. Click here to register
 
Cattle grazing in the project area.
 
Sampling of the green house in the plots.
 
Flowers blooming in the healthy soils of the plots.
 

Trending Video

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Video: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Sun drenched fields along the banks of Rio Grande River provide the landscape south Texas farmers need to grow citrus and green leafy vegetables for consumers across the country. But a steady, reliable labor source that is paramount to bringing south Texas commodities to market is in short supply and many growers are worried their crops, and their profits, will be left to wither in the fields.