David Rogers

I watched Craigslist and have a Ford 4000 with FEL for $7000, a Ford 3000 with FEL and 14' reach backhoe attachment for $4500,  Ford 8N in trade for labor, but engine had to be rebuilt ---$4500, 2 Farmall Super A one with alot of attachments  $1000 AND the second for $2500 but with a 2" tool bar and I can cultivate either 1 row or 2 row and the
engine is offset so I can see what I am cultivating.  I have a ATV sprayer on the back, so I can foliar spray and cultivate.
and a J I Case 311. bought for 850 40 years ago.

I can't stand the smell of diesel exhaust.  

The 4000 has loaded tires and are 18" wide. tractor weighs close to 9000#.  We log with it, have a Farmi winch.  and we live in the mountains.  and it has done us well.
We cut our roads so I go straight up the mountains.  I have 5 feet between the wheels so 8' OD.  The 4000 was built in 1967 and it is the newest of my tractors.  They
built them well back in those days.  the Super A's could be as old as I am---70,

We have put electronic ignition on the 8N and going to do it on the 4000.

 Don't buy a tractor and dealer is 200 miles away.

That's how I see it.

Dave Rogers in the Adk Mts.

amount of logs (16+) needed to get out 1000 bd ft of 2 X 6s

What's your Guess.??

Thanks,

Dave Rogers

Read Steve Solomon's The Intelligent Gardener or Michael Astera's The Ideal Soil.

I think you are low in P, Zn and Cu and B.

Dave Rogers

Does anyone buy from Badgersett or Oikos? Good Results?

Thanks in advance

Dave Rogers

Well written, Marc,

Jared can look to his own state Md for their excellent SLAN approach http://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Documents/nm_manual/I-B2%20p1-11%20s6.pdf

especially if he has loamy sand but that is mostly about NPK.

My land has an excess of Calcium, and a lack of Mg and K (which I am trying to solve) but I am not troubled much with insects or
disease. we grow 1/2 A of open pollinated corn and 1/2 A in gardens, The produce tends to have high Brix, dehydrates and doesn't rot.

We don't have irrigation and this is the driest part of NY and my land is sand and loamy sand.

I think the micronutrients are very important and The Ideal Soil ratios are working out very well for me.

We use Logan Labs and I did a Paste test on the worst garden B, Cu and Zn were not measureable. K and Mg were 1/3 of what they should be.
Ca, P, Mn, Na were on the low end. S and Fe were sufficient

Dave Rogers

Mark,

Where are you getting this information? on 50% Calcium; 30% Magnesium and 10% Potassium?

I think that would give you a sticky soil.

Before doing either see what your local land grant agricultural university suggests.

Dr. Carey Reams and Dr. William Albrecht were both striving for nutrient dense food as is Dan Kittridge and David Yarrow. David Yarrow's website is TERRA--

http://www.dyarrow.org/gateway.htm he has some great power point presentations a real good education, I think.

Dave Rogers

Take care of P, Ca, Mg, and K first.
visit www.soilminerals.com if you like it, buy The Ideal Soil by Michael Astera-

-http://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Soil-Handbook-New-Agriculture/dp/0984487603/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395831125&sr=1-1&keywords=the+ideal+soil

then figure it out.

join the discussion on the Yahoo groups High Brix Project or the soil and health group

Dave Rogers

Joy,

Read the Intelligent Gardener by Steve Solomon and Erica who lives in your town.
Erica could probably help you more than anybody else. She knows your problems.

Dave Rogers

Good question,

My blueberry leaves are a light green, I think they need Fe, Mg maybe some N in the ammonium form.

My squash plants have cucumber beetles and squash bugs. Hum, maybe some foliar Epsom salts??

A friend with a CSA has lost his onions to botrytis. I think a lack of K, Cu, S. What do you think?

My field corn last year had some blue mold on the ears, I thought a lack of Cu, K, and S.

I test because even if you get what element is lacking, How much are you going to apply?

Dave Rogers

Use a M-3 Test and get The Ideal Soil from www.soilminerals.com.

the aforementioned soil testing labs seems undulely expensive. You need to test for B, S, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu, possibly for Se, Co, and Mo.

Dave Rogers