Timothy Norton

In the United States, there are things known as agricultural extensions found in some states which bridge the gap between agricultural scientists in the lab and farmers who do the work. Many of these agricultural extension groups have the ability to test soils and will do so for folks in the local area for a fee.

For example, where I live we have Cornell College Agricultural Cooperative Extension which is a college based lab which provides my county a bunch of services. They have specific instructions on how to order and take a soil test sample and they can be sent in. There are multiple different things you can test for all at once or just specifically, depending on why your getting the test. I believe the cost for the general overall test is around $90 a sample.

I have fond memories of riding a bike down a backroad as a kid to a patch of mulberries every year with friends. There was something about munching on a few of them and hanging out back then that was just right. I really need to go see if that patch exists or not today.

[ApplePoll]

Wood Ash has an NPK (Nitrogen/Phosphorus/Potassium) of 0-1-3 which may aid you and it is easily available for many folks. I really like the suggestion of utilizing composted or pelleted Chicken Manure as it may help as well but it also contains its share of nitrogen.

Before you amend anything, let me ask you... how are the plants doing in the orchard? Are the trees having any issues with growth or fruiting? I have seen people get tunnel visioned because a particular soil report says the sample was low in some factors but that doesn't mean the tree's roots don't have access to the nutrients somewhere else. I have had quite a bit of success reading my plants and adjusting if I see any odd symptoms developing. An annual cover of compost does a lot of work for me in my growing spaces with the occasional amendment if the plants seem to be having an issue.

This thread on Potash might interest you as well.

On a typical workday, I wake up at 5:00 AM.  5:30 AM is acceptable IF I woke in in the middle of the night for whatever reason.

I make my way to the bathroom but first I round the corner into the kitchen to turn on the prepared coffee pot.

I take my morning shower, put on my clothes that have been set out the night before and straighten myself up.

I then go find where my dogs are sleeping and then rouse them to go outside with me. We make the same loop in the backyard and then head back into the house.

I prepare a coffee to go and set it next to my wallet and keys on the table nearest the door.

I wake my wife for her to start her day and let her know anything pertinent.

I am out the door by 6:00AM and off to work.

Do you have any 'boring' daily rituals?

I've started sprouting sunflower seeds for supplemental chicken feed and am really impressed with it's performance. I don't worry about the bits of debris that might be in with the seeds so cleaning it up well isn't much of a worry, it sprouts in a mason jar just fine.

I found that peas might damp off before they get much length but sunflower seeds will just keep growing quite a few inches without signs of mold.

After recent discussions with sportsmen friends of mine, I have learned about a technique involving cutting trees with a hinge cut for animal (Whitetail deer) bedding areas. The trees are dropped and left on the ground still semi-attached to the stump in order to make attractive areas of rest. Animals will browse the twigs and bits off the tree when it is within reach providing a food source.

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Christopher Weeks wrote:They apparently won't ship it across the ocean.

Now she HAS to get it! We have to live vicariously through Nancy. No pressure.

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