2010 Soil Fertility Costs

I wrote a little while ago about my soil fertility plan for the coming year, and in this post I’ll break down some of the costs.  For a brief review, my plan consists of manuring (for nutrients & organic matter), mineral amendments (for P, pH, Ca, and micronutrients), and cover cropping (for O.M. and N).  All amounts are for 6 acres and costs include freight.

Manures - bulk truckloads

Chicken Manure - 8 yards per acre - $2000

Cow Manure - 10 yards per acre - $1500

Minerals - bought in bags (more $ but easier to handle and to keep dry)

Oyster Shell Lime - 1 ton per acre - $1700

Soft Rock Phosphate - 1/2 ton per acre - $1700

Azomite - 1/4 ton per acre - $1850

Cover Crop (for 5 acres in winter, 1 acre in summer)

Winter blend (pre-mixed organic seed) - 100 lbs per acre - $700

Summer Blend (buckwheat & vetch) - $95

Total 2010 Soil Fertility Costs: $9545 (or $1590 per acre)...its a lot, I know.  But at present I find myself needing to fill some big fertility gaps, and the mineral amendments are great for this.  Most years I expect to be able to rely on the nutrients and O.M. supplied by the manures and the cover crops.  Additionally, I hope that by the end of next year I’ll fulfill a goal to work my other 2 acres into the rotation - putting a different fourth of my acreage into a year-long cover crop each season.

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