One of our projects on Our Maker's Acres Family Farm has been a work to improve the soil in our garden and side garden. We've used cover crops. We've made biochar and inoculated it with cow manure and worked it in the soil. We've done hugelkutur. We've composted for years and amended literally tons of organic matter into the soil. We've used only composted (cow and chicken) manure and fish emulsion for fertilizer and planted plenty of crops that set nitrogen. Finally, we've incorporated the "Back to Eden" gardening technique which is no-till and uses layers of wood chips to always keep the soil covered.
The soil was in poor shape when we started, however. I have a soil test from about a decade ago and figured it was time to do another soil test just to see where we are and how we might improve. We went to the LSU AgCenter Extension office here in Jennings and got a soil sample kit. We followed the directions found within and took soil samples.
We took three separate samples. One was from the garden. Another from the garden in the side yard. Finally one from the pasture. Each sample was put in separate bags and labeled.
All the samples were taken on the five acre piece of land where we live. I want to show you something that was obvious at first glance. Look at the color of the soil in the three samples. Starting from the left is the garden soil. We've been working on improving that soil for the longest time - maybe 20 years. Then the sample in the middle is from the side yard garden. We've been improving that soil for about 5 or 6 years. The last sample, on the right, is the soil sample from the pasture. Other than cows and chickens pooping on it, we've done nothing to it, although I had intended on putting lime down, but never followed through.
Quite a difference in color! It appears that the amendments have improved the soil in color, at least. We'll wait and see what the soil test analysis shows. Once we get the tests back, we will have a good idea of what we need to do.
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