Kathleen Driscoll

Thanks for the response, my lab did not provide any optimal parameters and this was helpful.

My phosphorus is high, which I think explains why some of my plants are exhibiting signs of zinc and iron deficiencies and poor growth overall.  This may be because our compost contains large amounts of animal manure (chicken mainly).  So, this year I think I will plant phosphorus loving veggies/plants (root veggies, tomatoes) as well as nitrogen fixing plants since I won't apply compost.  The test shows zinc and iron levels ok, so should I just leave that alone since I am trying to correct the phosphorus level?  

I  had tomatoes and peppers that had some blossom end rot last season so I assumed calcium level/uptake was off.  The calcium is showing low in greenhouse 1, but the pH is 6.9, so I am thinking I need to add calcium???  How do I add calcium and lower ph at the same time?

The potassium is high but I really don't know what to do about that.  I know it can disrupt uptake of other nutrients (nitrogen, calcium, magnesium), maybe this is another reason for blossom- end rot and poor growth?  I would think that integrating legumes would help.

I know sphagnum peat will lower the ph and add organic matter, so I think that may be a good idea.  

I know I have to be careful of trying to adjust too many things at once because I can really mess things up, so I would really appreciate any advice on where to start first.  I am a newbie to soil health and am trying to learn and appreciate any and all advice!!!

Thank You!!!

I just got my soil test results back and I really don't know what to do.  I'm still very confused regarding soil, lot's of studying going on.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  One is a standard soil test and the other a saturated paste.  Thank you!!

So, this morning she seems better, she is more vocal and is moving around more.  However, she now has a milky white discharge from vulva (there is no odor, and it doesn't seem infectious).  She still does not have a fever, and is eating/drinking/pooping normally.  She will come over to me and talk and when I pet her she seems to go into a trance and just stands there for a few minutes and then seems normal again.  Could she be in heat?  
Thanks for any advice!!!

As the day progressed, it does seem that she has an upset belly.  I've heard her pass a lot of gas, and some burps that were really stinky!!  She got up several times during the day and just kind of stood around, she did chew a little grass and ate her dinner.  She also passed some normal stool, no more diarrhea.  I was thinking that she may be going into heat, but I read that they become very vocal and agitated, not depressed and quiet.  I was thinking the Mycotoxicosis because on a medical site it said that an enlarged vulva can be one of the signs (strange).  She is still very quiet (she is usually very talkative), and depressed but seems better.
Hopefully she will be improved in the morning.
Thanks!!

Her temp is 101.4, HR is 100, resp is 20.  I could not detect any abnormal lung sounds, she does not have a nasal or eye discharge either.  She did get up to move to a shady area and got up to eat a small piece of bread (I baited her to see if she would respond).  Although she ate, she would not drink and is still very lethargic.
She does have access to a mud pit, but she doesn't seem interested.
Thanks!

We just adopted a 10 month old, female Pot Belly/KuneKune mix pig 5 days ago (she was not in the best living conditions and not getting attention).  Today she is very lethargic and her vulva is enlarged with a clear fluid dripping out.  She had a small amount of diarrhea last night but stool is normal now.  No vomiting, no fever, no coughing, just very lethargic.  She will eat, but is not as vocal as normal.  In her previous home she was confined to a pretty small area with just dirt, and a commercial pig feed.  Now she has access to pasture, hay, and being fed fermented grain with just a small amount of her old food.  There was some old dried up grain scattered about in the pasture area, if she ate this could it be Mycotoxicosis?  All vets are closed today, maybe she just has a belly ache and I'm overreacting.  All input is greatly appreciated.

Our local hatchery where we usually get our meat chickens vaccinates for Mareks, Salmonella and IBD.  Has anyone heard of any health problems for humans regarding eating birds that are vaccinated?  I realize that we are exposed to vaccines from just about every type of meat we eat, but it seems that immune mediated diseases are on the rise and I wonder if this could be one piece of the puzzle in the decline of human health.

I apologize if this has been covered already.  We raise about 40 meat chickens per year and have always fed organic fryer rations ($28.00/50#), this worked fine with the Cornish X's because we butcher at 7 weeks.  This year we are getting either the Freedom Rangers or the Red Rangers and because of their slower growth rate we cannot afford to feed them the organic feed.  We raise our pigs on fermented grains and am curious if anyone has raised chickens on this.  We do not have a large pasture for much free ranging, they do have a large area but it is mostly just dirt.  Thank you so much for any info.

My challenge is  temperature swings (It will be 90 F during the day and 30 F at night) and summer frosts (it is not unusual to have a hard frost in July/August).  I bought zone 4 fruit trees that didn't make it the first year because of this. We are supposed to be zone 5b, but I now ignore this and focus more on microclimates and protection for those mid-summer frosts.  We also built a greenhouse below grade to help with the temp fluctuations.  It's been a challenge to learn gardening here in Central Oregon that's for sure!!!

Thank you for the response.  I think I will use wood chips, I don't want to deal with sprouting straw again.