1. 21 Acres Soil Assessment Team: Martin Herrin, Melody Hearten-Johnson, and Aileen Ponio Water and Sustainability BIS 392

2. Location: 21 Acres 21 Acres includes a bio-diverse farmstead with trails for physical activity, interpretive educational signage, and cultivated farm plots used to demonstrate sustainable and organic farming practices. 21 Acres is committed to making local, sustainable-grown food a cornerstone of healthy lifestyles and communities.

3. Soil Tests Texture PH Phosphorus Potassium Nitrate Ammonia Nitrogen Humus Nematodes

4. Texture 200 ml of soil was measured. Weights (g)WetDryTotalsTexture Field 1 Site A171.7102.669.1 Sandy Loam Site B181107.173.9 Sandy Loam Site C163.985.978 Sandy Loam Field 2 Site A136.189.746.4 Loam Site B144.599.744.8 Silt Loam Site C158.773.185.6 Sandy Loam Field 3 Site A162.6120.442.2 Loam Site B181.1119.961.2 Silt Loam Site C181.5118.263.3 Sand

5. pH Results - Field 1 : Site A - pH = 5.0 - 5.2 Site B - pH = 5.2 Site C- pH = 5.1 - Field 2: Site A - pH = 5.8 - 6.2 Site B - pH = 6.2 - 6.4 Site C- pH = 6.0 - 6.2 - Field 3: Site A - pH = 6.0 Site B - pH = 5.8 - 6.2 Site C - pH = 6.0 Role The relative acidity or alkalinity of soil is indicated by its pH. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. Any pH reading below 7 is acidic and any pH above 7 is alkaline. A pH of 7 indicates a neutral soil. The pH is important because it influences the availability of essential nutrients. Recommendations Potatoes grow best in pH conditions from 4.8-6.5, Strawberries in 5.0-6.0, and carrots and lima beans prefer soil from 5.5-6.5 pH.

6. Phosphorus Results –Field 1 Site A - 25 lb/a Site B - 75 lb/a Site C - 75 lb/a –Field 2 Site A - 25 lb/a Site B - 25-50 lb/a Site C - 75 lb/a –Field 3 Site A - 75 lb/a Site B - 75 lb/a Site C - 25 lb/a Phosphorus is recorded in pounds per acre (lb/a) Role Phosphorus in soil is essential for strong roots. It also helps protect plants against disease and poor weather conditions allowing them to grow faster. Recommendation Cover cropping either green manure or clover. Adding bone meal or phosphate rock will increase phosphate levels. Bat guano is also good.

7. Potassium Results –Field 1 Site A - 160 lb/a Site B - 180 lb/a Site C - 150 lb/a –Field 2 Site A - <100 lb/a Site B - <120 lb/a Site C - <100 lb/a –Field 3 Site A -110 lb/a Site B -130 lb/a Site C -120 lb/a Potassium is recorded in pounds per acre (lb/a) Role Potassium is essential for optimum growth. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and beets thrive in high levels of potassium. Potassium is also needed for sugar formation in fruits and vegetables, so more sufficient levels of potassium equals better tasting fruits and vegetables. Recommendation Cover crop or use compost to increase potassium in the soil. Add organic fertilizers such as kelp meal, greensand, or sulfate of potash.

8. Nitrate Nitrogen Results –Field 1: Site A: 40 pounds per acre Site B: 40 pounds per acre Site C: 40 pounds per acre –Field 2: Site A: 20 pounds per acre Site B: 40 pounds per acre Site C: 20 pounds per acre –Field 3: Site A: 40 pounds per acre Site B: 40 pounds per acre Site C: 20 pounds per acre Role Nitrogen is essential to all crops success. Recommendation Fertilizers… No Way! Sod, alfalfa grasses…Oh Yay! Sod offers the soil the chance to decompose organic matter as opposed to using N fertilizers made from fossil fuels.

9. Presence of Nitrate Nitrogen Nitrogen is essential the success of any crop. We observed Rhizobium bacteria(  ) on the crop roots at 21 Acres.

10. Nematodes We discovered Nematodes in the soil at 21 Acres! Nematodes are an excellent source of plant-available Nitrogen production in the soil.

11. Ammonia Nitrate Results –Field 1 Site A: Very Low Site B: Very Low Site C: Very Low –Field 2 Site A: Very Low Site B: Very Low Site C: Very Low –Field 3 Site A: Very Low Site B: Very Low Site C: Very Low Role Ammonia is another form of nitrogen. In forest soils ammonia is the most abundant form of nitrogen. If there is an adequate rate of nitrogen transformation, the humus layers of a forest soil will produce excessive concentrations of ammonia nitrogen. Recommendation Cover cropping and Green manure crops.

12. Humus Results –Field 1 Site A: 1 Site B: 1 Site C: 2 –Field 2 Site A: 1 Site B: 1 Site C: 1 –Field 3 Site A: 1 Site B: 2 Site C: 2 Scale: 1-low, 2-Medium, 3-High (Agricultural soils) 2-Low, 3-Medium, 4, high (Garden greenhouse soils) 3-Low, 4-Medium, 5-High (Organic soils) Role Humus consists of the complex remains of fresh plant and animal residue after extensive chemical and biological breakdown. It accounts for 60-70% of the total organic carbon in soils. It can modify the physical properties of soil, strongly affecting its chemical and biological properties. Mineralization process that converts raw organic matter to the relativity stable substance that is humus feeds the soil population of micro-organisms and other creatures, helping maintain high levels of soil life. Recommendation Cover cropping, Green manure crop.

13. THANK YOU! Eat some dirt and Hug a tree, Team Dirty