----- Original Message -----
From: "D & S Chamberlain" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 5:17 PM
Subject: Re: What is Magic?
>
> Michelle: Green manure crops work best if turned back in with as much bulk
> as possible. Feeding off to livestock is just not the same unless you
> collect the manure and compost it and respread it. In fact by feeding it
off
> you are depleting your soil and unless you have high biological activity
the
> manure will just lay there for some time.
> A thought from Oz
> David C
>
Dear David
Thanks for you thought on green manuring. Upon reflection, maybe I should
have just called it grazing cover crops. We are very sandy and are trying
to hold the ground, keep roots growing which keeps the microbes going, and
feel the "cover" crops also help us with weed control. I would mention that
we are transitioning from conventional to more regenerational methods and
these green crops really do help. Plus now that we are trying to do some
value added through running our feed through cattle these crops also feed
the animals. The cover crops are then worked into the ground after grazing
and row crops are then planted. We did some of this this spring and felt
the response was very positive in the corn planted after cover crop/grazing.
I agree though that this isn't a true green manure and I shouldn't have
called it that. I hadn't even considered that I was depleting the soil
doing this. I guess that I struggle with that concept. Isn't this really
how nature's system works and nutrients get recycled?
Thanks for your thoughts, and I will consider what you've said.
Michelle Wendell
