What y'all think of this organic matter

Help Support CattleToday:

ClodHopper37869

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2017
Messages
244
Reaction score
122
Location
NE TN 37869
The local newspaper has a add for a farm for sale, I copied & pasted part of add about the soil organic matter.



"The real magic however is in the soil underneath all those hooves. One can't tell from looking at the lush green fields but this farm hasn't used fertilizer in years. The nutrient needed for growth is derived from compost inoculated with a special blend of organic microbes selected for this particular type of soil. The result is huge savings in fertilizer costs and soil with well over 6% organic matter. (see pics for test results) The higher the soils organic content the more water it can hold. For every 1% increase in organic content an acre can hold an additional 125,000 gallons of water drastically increasing drought resistance. In addition, the microbes in the soil create natural fertilizer for the fields and make them more resistant to weeds and disease. This results in healthier crops and livestock with higher nutritional content while greatly reducing overall production costs."

If anyone wants to read the whole add here is the link:
 
6% organic matter is fairly high. I think most continually stocked pastures are probably less than 2%. The other day I read something that said there was like 27,000 more gallons of water stored for every 1% increase in organic matter so I suppose their number is disputed. They really ought to mention the stocking rate of the place. That's what everyone can relate to.
 
Okay I will bite.
If these wonder microbes work why aren't they being sold, or is this like the 100 mpg carburetor bought up by Detroit.
IF the regenerative ag movement is right these wonder microbes are already present in most soil and will reproduce if conditions are right. It's also quite easy to "breed" your own so no purchase required. But if the soil is continually subjected to herbicides and pesticides that kill microbes while simultaneously adding fertilizer that causes the plants to stop trading for nutrients with the microbes they won't persist even if you add them.

Personally I'm sceptical of of anything I'm told - either by input dealers who have their hands deep inside my pocket or by people making a living not by farming but by talking and selling books about farming. A lot of the regenerative ag talk makes sense to me and the upside is immense so I think it's worth experimenting with. I think I'll know if I believe it in a few more years.
 
IF the regenerative ag movement is right these wonder microbes are already present in most soil and will reproduce if conditions are right. It's also quite easy to "breed" your own so no purchase required. But if the soil is continually subjected to herbicides and pesticides that kill microbes while simultaneously adding fertilizer that causes the plants to stop trading for nutrients with the microbes they won't persist even if you add them.

Personally I'm sceptical of of anything I'm told - either by input dealers who have their hands deep inside my pocket or by people making a living not by farming but by talking and selling books about farming. A lot of the regenerative ag talk makes sense to me and the upside is immense so I think it's worth experimenting with. I think I'll know if I believe it in a few more years.

This needs to be stated again. Most of the conventional wisdom people get from the anti-meat groups is based on what some "expert" said. The regenerative AG folks actually do farming and have results.
 
I doubt i could find 6 on my farm. We have pasture right by shop its 20 acres has gotten probably at least 75 acres worth of tobacco stalks for last 10 years. I might pull it just see more interested what the cec is
 
We just started working on regenerative grazing in September. What I can tell you so far is we are seeing grass grow a bit faster, NOT in all areas but some. And the way we are grazing it looks like I won't run out of grass come summer time. Keeping fingers crossed.
One of the things that caught my eye in doing this is that your soil will collect more water(infiltration is higher) how much I can't remember I don't think there is a specific number all farms or land are different. I do remember reading somewhere about increasing OM at about 2% per year after a few years of grazing this way. Unless I read it wrong.
 
OM varies greatly with sampling method. Some scuff the surface with their boot before inserting the probe. Pretty easy to get a lot of litter in the sample.
 
Okay I will bite.
If these wonder microbes work why aren't they being sold, or is this like the 100 mpg carburetor bought up by Detroit.
They are being sold and it is a hot market.
Now they are "bio stimulants" added as seed treatments.
In the old days they were inoculantes added to legume seeds.
 
This looks like it is written for Northern wannabe farmers. From other sources, it looks like they want to subdivide. For the life of me, checking the tax records, I cannot find a 600-acre farm in Claiborne County. The whole county is mountainous land. Tennessee Tuxedo knows the area. But this is not the farm he sold.

As to the "compost" thing, they are spreading Chicken Litter and Cow manure which is fertilizer!

Here's another link: https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...ucky-Rd_Tazewell_TN_37879_M78001-34579#photo2
 
This looks like it is written for Northern wannabe farmers. From other sources, it looks like they want to subdivide. For the life of me, checking the tax records, I cannot find a 600-acre farm in Claiborne County. The whole county is mountainous land. Tennessee Tuxedo knows the area. But this is not the farm he sold.

As to the "compost" thing, they are spreading Chicken Litter and Cow manure which is fertilizer!

Here's another link: https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...ucky-Rd_Tazewell_TN_37879_M78001-34579#photo2
I know of several 600 acre farms in Claiborne Co.but the tax records will show is smaller because they were bought in tracts. I'm pretty sure I know the farm in the link. I wouldn't call it a crop farm but a grazing farm. It overlooks Tazewell but I didn't realize it was that big.
 
I know of several 600 acre farms in Claiborne Co.but the tax records will show is smaller because they were bought in tracts. I'm pretty sure I know the farm in the link. I wouldn't call it a crop farm but a grazing farm. It overlooks Tazewell but I didn't realize it was that big.
But those adjoining tracts to the original are not listed in the same name on the tax records.

Edit:It is no longer for sale, it may have been subdivided and sold.
 
Last edited:
But those adjoining tracts to the original are not listed in the same name on the tax records.

Edit:It is no longer for sale, it may have been subdivided and sold.
I will find out this weekend. Somehow I seem to remember them having hogs running out in the fields so that might explain the organic matter.
 

Latest posts

Top