Soil Improvement at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village | Part I
By Mikael Maynard
Soil rehabilitation and regeneration is of utmost importance to us at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village. The health and success of our crops — and ultimately our planet — depends on it.
In the past year, we have implemented many soil creation strategies to overcome the challenges of working on land with centuries of extractive history. Thanks to years of intensive timber operations, we started with a complete lack of humus, beneficial soil minerals, soil life and aeration. What soil we did have was compacted, erosive, lifeless and acidic — not exactly the ideal environment for the growth of vitamin-rich, healthy foods.
As permaculture co-creator Bill Mollison writes in his book, Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual:
“In soil rehabilitation, we are forced to start with what is now there. Only rarely have we a soil containing all the nutrients a plant may need to grow. Most gardeners and farmers who have developed sustainable soil systems allow 3-4 years for building a garden, and 5-15 years to restore a devastated soil landscape. This applies only to the physical restoration of soils and to the development of appropriate plant systems. There are far more lengthy processes to be undertaken where past chemical pollution has occurred.” (pg. 184, paragraph 5)
Although not chemically polluted, our soil could certainly be classified as devastated, and our year of progress in implementing regenerative practices has not come close to Mollison’s 5-15 year restoration timeline. Even so, we are seeing results, and though they are in their infancy, they are sure to multiply as we continue to pursue our Climate Farming regimen.
In October 2020, we got our soil tested through TPSlabs. We took two soil tests, one of which was taken as a baseline for where our soils were when we started. This came from a back field that had not received any regenerative treatment.
The second test was taken in a location that had received six months of regenerative soil treatment. To test our soil, they used a Mehlich III test. According to Hill Laboratories:
“There is growing international interest in the Mehlich 3 (‘M3’) test, primarily because it is a multi-element extraction. Since many elements can be determined from the one chemical extraction, the resulting laboratory efficiencies can then be passed on to farmers and growers through lower soil test charges.”
Comparing the tests, it’s easy to see slight improvement in all sections except for slight increases in levels of ammonium, and less desirable levels in a few secondary nutrients such as zinc, copper, chloride, boron and silicon. All of the primary nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, increased in desirable amounts!
Soon, we will have our soil test back marking the one year anniversary of implementing regenerative soil practices. Will this steady incline persist? Will the slight decrease in secondary nutrients level out?
We can’t wait to share the results with you, but whatever they may be, our soil restoration mission will continue.
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