Fruit and Vegetable News

  Annalisa Hultberg, extension educator, food safety Did you have chickens in your high tunnels this winter? Or are you planning to apply manure to your fields this spring before planting? Animal-based soil amendments such as composted manure and poultry litter can build the health, tilth, fertility and water hold capacity of your soil. They can also be a great way to use resources you might have on the farm such as manure.  However,  all animal-based soil amendments, especially those that include untreated (raw) manure pose microbial risks and should be used safely to reduce the potential for causing illness.  Here are some guidelines to help you minimize any potential risk of contamination and foodborne illness as you use these soil amendments this season.  What are the risks with animal-based soil amendments? All animal-based amendments carry a risk of microbial contamination, though many factors affect the level of risk in each. Different animals tend to be ...

As you figure out how much fertility to add to your fields this year, make sure you're including nitrogen that is left over from previous cover crops and compost / manure applications. You may need less nitrogen than what is recommended on your soil test. What is a nitrogen credit? There are two basic categories of fertilizers: inorganic and organic. Organic in this case does not mean USDA certified organic, but rather any fertility source that is bound in carbon. Organic sources of fertility include things like manure, composted manure, compost, cover crops, fish meal, etc.  When nitrogen is bound in an organic form, it takes a while to mineralize, or become usable by plants. In some cases, it can take 1-2 years. Farmers should take this into account when making fertility plans to avoid over-fertilizing. Calculating nitrogen credits from cover crops If you planted a cover crop in the fall, you are likely going to receive some nitrogen from it this spring. Legume cover crops can pr...