Jared Gulliford

Yes, that would be ideal!! Unfortunately, I am a 25 year old landless farmer and am leasing this marginal land at a discount. Annual vegetables were my quickest avenue to a stable income. Permaculture is my passion, but agriculture seems to be my current fate.

Hey there,

I was looking for advice for expanding my market garden. This past year, I started a project on about 2 acres of hillside, selling at 3 local farmers market and a few restaurants. The garden has varying degrees of slope and fertility. Parts of the ground had been farmed for 3 years by a previous gardener. Former issues were drainage and soggy soil, it was farmed using plastic and non raised beds . Parts had to be abandoned, others were redesigned with raised beds on contour with a grade drop to the access path for drainage. Others beds with less of a slope where dug parallel. For the contoured beds, i found the longest line in the field and staked out the contour with a 3-5 percent drop for drainage. The succeeding beds are all based off the longest contour.

I would like to expand the garden to field in the right of the picture. I was wondering what others have done for hillside gardens. The contoured beds are much harder to garden than the parallel beds as it makes setting drip tape and remay a chore. I know Sepp made hugelbeds on a slant rather than contour and had success. Suggestions??




facebook.com/jared.gulliford

currently farming as The Highland Farm.. facebook.com/thehighlandfarmers

Hey there,

I am a 24 year old aspiring farmer and entrepreneur currently growing near Blacksburg, VA. I manage a market garden of about 2 acres on a rural property, growing organic produce using permaculture and sustainable methods. Most of the land I cultivate is on steep slope to which I designed a series of contoured beds and terraces using a transit. I work with one business partner who owns the land and helps in the garden.

I have grossed up to $5,000 a month selling at local farmers markets with my seasonal produce. I have been concentrating on annuals as I am on rented land and needed quick return on my investments as well as a beginning income stream. I have experience with most farm animals and am a certified bee keeper.

My passion is perennial food systems, silvopastures, and communal living. My ultimate goal is to be on land that I could eventually own. Although I have had success with annual vegetables, I have also learned that I value community and long term projects above all else. I am posting in search for various opportunities, on land with like-minded people, for proven vegetable growers in an intentional community setting.

My email address is abundantspecies@gmail.com. I have a facebook of the current project at facebook.com/thehighlandfarmers.

Thanks,
Jared

hmm, perhaps. I do not know the R value of cardboard. I wonder if it would be able to hold up in the winter. Cardboard and sheep wool?!?! might get a bit moldy...

oh neat! I am excited to see your progress. My project was put on the back burner as I did not have fund or space to complete the project. I decided to devote my energies to the garden instead...

http://natureprovides.wordpress.com/blog/

Drywall for gypsum and Batteries for zinc and manganese.... That is true recycling.

I am working my way through your battery thread. I would like to try it but would have to let thing break down a while before trusting to put it on the garden since it is not my land.


Isn't there a risk for other chemical used in the process of batteries or drywall off gassing or contaminating the soil??

Also, I have never bought compost tea before as I use rabbit manure and worm casting but the complete liquid feed from ND Supply has more goodies than my simple mix. ie humates, trace minerals etc

Wow, thanks for the information!

I guess the advice is not contradictory just different. Some advise that I add trace minerals other do not. The garden is about 1.5 acres and we plan to cover crop at least a half of an acre.

Do you have any advice for compost teas? I had been making a tea out of worm castings and molasses but was think of buying the complete liquid feed from Nutrient Density supply (http://www.ndsupply.com/Nutrient_Density_Supply_Co./NDSC.html) and perhaps some efficient microorganisms. However, if I could make something as beneficial myself I would prefer that.


Recommendation #1:

Your soils have some issues, especially with trace mineral deficiencies (B, ZN, Cu, Mn). Sulfur is also less than ideal (50 #/acre) Organic matter levels should be over 5% to have little to no need of added nitrogen. Higher than ideal magnesium (>12%) can suppress calcium uptake, while raising pH to over 7, which inhibits trace mineral uptake. Hope this is of help.



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RECOMMENDATION #2:



He remarked that your macronutrients looked sufficient. He did recommend the following for micronutrients/ trace minerals:




20 lbs/acre of Manganese Sulfate




15 lbs/acre of Boron




10 lbs/ acre of copper sulfate




10 lbs/ acre of zinc sulfate




500 lbs/acre Gypsum (for low sulfur levels)




He also recommended two others although the they were not included in the test (many gardens are deficient):




4 lbs/acre of Cobalt sulfate




1 lb/ acre of sodium molybdate




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RECOMMENDATION #3



He recommended adding Phosphate to help with the potassium vs. phosphorus ratio as the potassium levels are quite high. The high amount of potassium could be causing weed pressure.


There is an abundance of magnesium in the soil to which he also recommended adding (elemental) sulphur. However, he thought Dan's Gypsum recommendation was far too high as adding large amounts of sulphur can hurt the microbial population (also adds calcium which the garden has plenty).


Instead, he suggested fixing the sulfates first and then deal with the sulphur.


he did not provide specifics as he was not familiar with the type of test I presented:


Boron

Zinc

Manganese

Iron

Copper

Phosphate

Mineral Salts (Redmond's)




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RECOMMENDATION #4



He was most concerned with the high potassium levels, but he thought they could be watched over time. He thought the best way to deal with them would be to not add as much raw manure and instead use aged manure or compost.


He suggested Phosphorus application for #3 & # 4 in the fall. And some gypsum in the fall to #1 & #2, about 100lbs/acre.


He mostly said to apply Lancaster Ag's Seed Grow and Top Dress this spring as well as root dips for transplants and inoculates for seeds.


He didn't really suggest any individual mineral applications.


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Hey Kate,

Do you have any pictures of your project??

Hello there,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice. I recently became employed at a market garden and am trying to remineralize before the season. We have taken a soil test but we have been getting some contradicting advice. Some recommend trace minerals, others do not. I am a permaculture student and do not want to alter thing too much before observing the soil but also do not want to neglect glaring deficiencies. Attached is the test....Thanks for your help!

Here is some further info about the field......


Field #1

This is my general garden plot it is about 200' x 100'. I have used it the past 5 years to grow a variety of summer produce, and a little bit of spring crops. I have had peppers, eggplant, okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, lettuce, cantaloupes, and green beans growing here. I have moved the crops by rows around this area and I would like to continue this for at least 2014, as I don't have more ground to move to. This past September I planted a tillage radish and oat cover crop.




Field #2

This field is 100' x 75' and has had only tomatoes in it for 3 years. I would like to take it out of production this year or summer. I would like to know what your recommendations are for cover cropping for this field. This past September after the tomatoes came out I planted tillage radish and oats, then I grazed it with goats before the frost killed it. I have had what I think is a virus or fungus for at least the last two years, probably three (I can't remember). I have attached a photo below. The tomato plants have been dying from the lower leaves up, and in time it takes over the whole plant. It seems to start more slowly in the early plantings, but spreads more aggressively in my later plantings. I am hoping that in this year off from growing I can start to balance the soil so this virus will not be a problem in the future.




FIeld #3

This field is 200' x 25'. Three years ago was it's first year in production and it had just tomatoes. Two years ago I grew squash/cucumbers/tomatoes/okra in the summer followed by fall vegetables greens/cole crops. Late spring of this past year I covered cropped with sorghum sudan grass. In the late summer we mowed and tilled the sorghum, and planted half of the area in fall crops- cole crops and greens. The other half is ready for spring plantings. One side of the long sides is lined with pine trees to the North.




Field #4

This is a 200' x 100'. Two years ago I grew melons and winter squash here and then cover cropped it with rye in the fall. Last year in the spring we rolled the rye down and then just mowed the field the rest of the year. I know this soil isn't great, but my plan is to grow the majority of my tomatoes here and some squash.



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Here is one recommendation:

20 lbs/acre of Manganese Sulfate




15 lbs/acre of Boron




10 lbs/ acre of copper sulfate




10 lbs/ acre of zinc sulfate




500 lbs/acre Gypsum (for low sulfur levels)--could also use elemental sulphur but at lower quantity




He also recommended two others although the they were not included in the test (many gardens are deficient):




4 lbs/acre of Cobalt sulfate




1 lb/ acre of sodium molybdate


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Awesome! I'm sure those attending will learn a great deal. I hope to secure funds to join as well.