Evaluating Pasture Climate Resilience Utilizing Wild Forb and Insect Biodiversity Related to Changing Soil Health

Final report for FNC20-1224

FNC20-1224 (project overview)
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2020: $25,516.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2022
Grant Recipient: Lincoln University Cooperative Extension-Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program
Region: North Central
State: Missouri
Project Coordinator:
Susan Jaster
Email
Lincoln University Cooperative Extension-Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program
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Project Information

Description of operation:

There are 5 ranches involved in FNC20-1224 within 2 counties of the West Central Region of Missouri. Three locations are livestock only and two are fruit, vegetables, flower and livestock diversified operations. One of the diversified ranches uses organic practices but is not certified (Burr Oak Farm, 78 acres), and the other has been using regenerative practices for 4 years (Bountiful, 5 acres). One of the livestock only ranches has been using regenerative practices for 5 years (Storm Rider, 40 acres). The other two livestock grazing ranches are just beginning to look into regenerative practices (Big Dream, 19.5 acres and K-Farm, 3acres). Soil health has been an active focus for three of the properties to varying degrees. Burr Oak uses organic practices to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables under plastic culture (3 hightunnels) and open field vegetable production with fescue pastures using adaptive grazing techniques. Bountiful is a poultry and sheep ranch of highly diverse pasture with plastic culture (ventilated overhead hightunnel) production for vegetables. Storm Rider is a diversified pasture reclaimed from corn and bean rotation by using cover crop cocktails to over seed mixed weed fields. Learning about regenerative practices is the focus of K-Farm and Big Dream. K-Farm has a small fruit orchard grazed by sheep plus some very brittle and weedy land reclaimed from a house construction site providing some of their grazing. K-farm uses no chemicals in the orchard allowing tall grasses to protect the fruit from deer (deer prefer to know where they are jumping). The sheep graze the orchard in spring and prior to fruit harvest. Big Dream has sheep, goats and alpacas for fiber, poultry for eggs and meat, plus a milk cow and small garden for family use as well as fescue hay fields. They struggle with overgrazed pastures due to keeping all species separate and boarding a couple of horses for neighbors; as well as having only a portion of the property in permanent fencing to allow for hay production.

Summary:

Changing Climate and increasing input costs combine to stress farmers ecologically, economically, and socially. Regenerative grazing practices leading to better soil health can help farmers by increasing pasture biodiversity resulting in resilience to climate changes, reducing pasture input needs, increasing water storage capacity and reducing time farmers spend applying inputs. Measuring soil health is both costly and time consuming. We propose to assess whether wild forb and insect biodiversity and abundance can be used as surrogates in measuring soil health on farms where regenerative methods have been practiced for several years and where they are newly implemented. Cover crops will be used to improve soil health which should stimulate wild forb growth and insect species utilization of pastures. We will utilize modified Daubenmire frames to measure vegetation cover and species. We will measure insect diversity and abundance using sweep-net transects. Vegetation and insect measurements will be related to soil health measurements. We expect that increasing soil health will increase wild forb and insect biodiversity and abundance, while increased soil organic matter (soil carbon) would indicate greater water storage capacity.

Project Objectives:
    1. Utilize soil health analysis to compare soil health under regenerative practices long term to short term and to traditional small farm pasture management
    2. Utilize soil health analysis to quantify changes in soil health between years at each site
    3. Plant cover crops to help improve the soil health on five farms
    4. Collect and inventory insects and plants to compare five farms
    5. Use Solvita CO2 test after grazing to quantify possible carbon sequestration representing water storage capacity
    6. Use the MicroBiometer test to show fungi to bacteria ratios in test plots (we did not know this test kit existed until the project began-and due to Covid-19 restrictions we did not spend much of our grant money and shifted some funds to purchase a kit/farm) We will compare test to control plots and farm to farm fungi to bacteria levels under regenerative practices. 

Cooperators

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Research

Materials and methods:

5 ranchers on 5 tiny ranches lots of plants to identify daubenmeier meter square and grid American Blackbelly hair sheep on project data collection sheet solvita test paddles water infiltration test identifying insects Babydoll sheep on the projectSoil health analysis will be used to understand active carbon, mineralizable nutrients, organic matter of each farm’s soil to compare the farms. All 5 farms have small ruminants to graze the cover crops but the farms are at different stages of regenerative practices. All the farms, at some point in their history, have been under traditional chemical farming. All the farms have experienced the extremes of drought and extensive flooding in the past 5-6 years. We want to know how the regenerative practices will help us keep our soil and feed our animals. Water infiltration and Solvita CO2 testing will help us understand how much water holding capacity we have in our soils to withstand flood or drought for climate change resilience. Collecting inects and quantifying wild forbs will show us if we have genuine diversity and free ecoservices from this diversity. We will collect insects using sweep-nets along four -five meter transects on a 50m by 100m grid. We will measure vegetation at points on a 50m by 50m grid. Soil samples will consist of one sample submitted per test plot and one per control plot per project stage (prior to cover crop planting/grazing, post planting/grazing each year). In each field we will collect soil at each vegetation measurement point and combine it to one sample to represent the field average in the test plot and control plot. The test plot will be grazed and the control plot will not be grazed. We will then relate diversity and abundance measurements to soil health analysis between and among our fields.

Note: We added the MicroBiometer.com Test after we accidentally discovered it at the Fuller Field School in Kansas, when Dr. Jill Clapperton introduced the product she developed. This soil test will measure the fungus to bacteria ratio and uses a phone app to read the test card. Since mycorrhizal fungi play an important role in soil health, we felt that we could show a gain or loss of fungi either seasonally or year to year with regenerative grazing practices.

Solvita Tests: Dr. Clapperton also recommended a different method of using the Solvita test in the field. She suggested that we not bother with sieving the soil, in fact do not collect soil samples at all. In the test and control plots, stab the test paddle into the soil and screw the sample container into the ground over the paddle and mark it, come back in 24 hours to read the test. I discovered that the Solvita test paddles are not very stable if exposed to high temperatures even while in the package. 2 of the packages were ruined due to condensation. These paddles are a bit pricey, I would recommend purchasing only the amount of paddles needed for the first year and then purchase more for the second year of your grant and keep them in a climate controlled area. Use a cooler with cold packs while in the field-before opening. We used the paper color chart which is included in the field kit, the jars and rubber disks inside the lid maybe washed and used again. We just used tape on the lid to write the time and name of farm.

Water infiltration: We used a 6-inch long x 6-inch diameter piece of metal pipe to beat into the ground with a sledge hammer, placed a one foot length of kitchen plastic wrap down in the pipe to catch and hold 15 ounces of water until we were ready to start a stop-watch. We then pulled the plastic wrap out and noted how long the water took to soak into the soil in test and control plots.

We used a meter by meter squares divided into 4 segments to access percentages of wild forbs and cover crops present in 4 transects of the test and control plots on each farm. These transects were marked and observed 4 times on each farm, placing the meter squares in the same place each time for observation. Between the transects, a path was followed in the same direction each time we sampled to use a sweep net to collect insects, we did this first-before laying our meter squares out-to prevent flushing the insects out of the sample area. Insects were later identified as "good bugs" -pollinators and predators, "food" -for other species, "detritivores"-decomposers, and "bad bugs"-non-beneficial insects. We also noted how many of each were caught.

Spring 2020 Cover Crops Fall 2020 Cover Crops Spring Cover Crops 2021 Fall Cover Crops 2021
Sorghum Sudangrass Annual Ryegrass Oats Oats
Hybrid Pearl Millet Spring Oats BMR Sorghum Sudan Forage Wheat
Japanese Millet Cereal Rye Japanese Millet Barley
Teff Grass Winter Peas Hybrid Pearl Millet Rye
Mung Beans Spring Peas Forage Peas Winter Peas
Lespedeza Crimson Clover Laredo Haybeans Crimson Clover
Sunflower Balansa Clover Buckwheat Balansa Clover
Buckwheat Radish Sunflower Vetch
Inoculant Rapeseed Sweet Clover Rape
  Turnip Sugar Beets Radish
  Hairy Vetch Brassica Collards
  Inoculant Inoculant Hybrid Brassica
      Orchard Grass
      Timothy
      Chicory
Cover Crops used     Sweet Clover
      Alsike Clover
      Ladino Clover
      Inoculant

 

Round 1-wild forbs and Cover crops test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot  
name date Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 Burr Oak, 6/8/21 name date K-Farm 6/15/20 K-Farm, 6/15/20 k-Farm, 6/15/20 K-Farm 6/15/20 K-Farm, 6/15/20 K-Farm, 6/15/20 K-Farm, 6/15/20 K-Farm, 6/15/20 name date SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 SRF, 6/20/20 name date Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 Bountiful,7/5/20 name date kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20 kelly-7/23/20  
plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D  
clover, red 2 6 30 25 18 3 7 3 clover, red         2       clover, red 28 18 57 62 36   23 80 clover, red 37         25 20   clover, red 33 53 44 37 3 9   17  
clover, white 3 12   47 18 5 15 3 clover, white 60 47 1 52 35 5     clover, white   19       17     clover, white                 clover, white                  
clover, sweet               2 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet 3               clover, sweet 3         15   10 clover, sweet             2, hop    
clover, others                 clover, others                 clover, others 8, balanca     1, blanca         clover, others 79, black medic 83, black medic 90, black medic 16, black medic 75, black medic 50, black medic 70, black medic 40, black medic clover, others         31, black medic 7, black medic 79, black medic 17, black medic  
other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                  
grass, orchard                 grass, orchard                 grass, orchard         3       grass, orchard     2           grass, orchard                  
grass, timothy         5       grass, timothy                 grass, timothy                 grass, timothy                 grass, timothy                  
grass, blue           12   17 grass, blue                 grass, blue   3       47 5   grass, blue               20 grass, blue                  
grass, fescue 27 20 20 32   27 25 22 grass, fescue         3 5     grass, fescue 6               grass, fescue         10 15     grass, fescue 37 42 33   19        
grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda             1   grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                  
grass, rye 7 12 15         2 grass, rye                 grass, rye                 grass, rye           10   10 grass, rye                  
grass, other 27, wild oats   55, wild oats   30, wild oats       grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                  
grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                  
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                  
golden rod 8 36 1 2   2 11   golden rod 15   1           golden rod 2   3 17   3   11 golden rod   1             golden rod                  
ragweed     2, giant 1, common 3, giant 4, common 12, ragweed 1, common ragweed                 ragweed 6, common 5, common 27, common 3, common 23, common 8, common 61, common 3, common ragweed                 ragweed 77, common 81, common 63, common 13, common 72, common 23, common 27, common 82, common  
wild forbs 4, sedge 11 2, ground cherry 25, sour grass 12, daisy fleabane 1, elm tree 3, elm tree   wild forbs 1, purple stock 6, daisy fleabane 1, money plant 4, daisy fleabane 4, marestail 1, marestail 5, daisy fleabane 3, marestail wild forbs 9, dandelion 9, daisy fleabane 15, daisy fleabane 1, giant ragweed 5, dandelion 1, daisy fleabane 7, dandelion 17, daisy fleabane wild forbs 14, daisy fleabane 7, daisy fleabane 2, wild oats 3, wild lettuce 10, daisy fleabane 20, daisy fleabane 20, daisy fleabane 20, daisy fleabane wild forbs   1, horse nettle 2, queen anns lace 31, queen anns lace 7, joepye 1, horse nettle 5, queen anns lace 27, queen anns lace  
wild forbs 12, elm tree 2, bindweed     1, marestail 1, bindweed   2, broadleaf wild forbs 1, photo 2, marestail 1, marestail 1, sedge 30, sour grass 1, dandelion 4, marestail 5, wild oats wild forbs 3, iron weed 11, cow parsley 3, wild oats 3, dandelion 2, giant ragweed 42, dadelion 1, sour grass 2, dadelion wild forbs 2, hedge parsley 5, wild lettuce 1, hedge parsley 3, joepye 25, marestail 5, goats beard 15, wild lettuce 20, goats beard wild forbs       1, horse nettle 1, queen anns lace   1, maple tree 1, horse nettle  
wild forbs 1 3, horse nettle 2, horse nettle 3, horse nettle 1,horsenettle 2, horse nettle   3, horse nettle wild forbs 1, marestail 3, sour grass 1, dead nettle 1, marestail 1, horse nettle 4, crab grass 15, sour grass 25, sour grass wild forbs 1, elm tree 7, plantain 3, dandelion 1, wild geranium 6, wild oats 2, sour grass 1, giant ragweed 1, plantain wild forbs 3, wild oats 3, goats beard   1, goats beard 15, wild lettuce 15, marestail 5, goats beard 15, marestail wild forbs       1, maple tree 1, maple tree     1, elm tree  
wild forbs   5, dandelion   3, dandelion   2, sedge     wild forbs 1, wild geranium   1, horse nettle 7, sour grass 12, daisy fleabane   4, barnyard grass   wild forbs   3, dadelion 1, mullein 1, daisy fleabane 3, cow parsley   2, wild geranium   wild forbs 1, bullrush 1, hedge parsley   3, wheat 25, sticktights 15, sticktights 15, wild oats 15, plantain wild forbs                  
wild forbs                 wild forbs 1, wide leaf grass   1 dandelion   1, sericea   1, horse nettle   wild forbs   7, marestail 2, sour grass 1, foxtail 1, wild geranuim   1, elm tree   wild forbs 5, goats beard 6, wild oats   7, wild oats 20, wild oats 15, bushy 15, yellow flower 15, wild lettuce wild forbs                  
wild forbs                 wild forbs 1, lespid   7, lespid   1, iron weed   1, milkweed   wild forbs   3, sour grass 1, dead nettle   1, thistle   1, marestail   wild forbs 1, horse nettle     6, johnson grass   15, wild oats   5, short seed wild forbs                  
wild forbs                 wild forbs 2, reid canary   10, sour grass           wild forbs   1, elm tree     4, sour grass       wild forbs       3, daisy fleabane       10, wheat wild forbs                  
wild forbs                 wild forbs 1, elm tree   6, reids cancary           wild forbs   1, wild oats     1, money plant       wild forbs       1, hedge parsley         wild forbs                  
wild forbs                 wild forbs 2, wild oats   3, sedge           wild forbs   8, wild geranium             wild forbs                 wild forbs                  
buckwheat 5 12 3 6 1 3 1 1 buckwheat 7 5 8 3 3 3 4 8 buckwheat 1 4   2   6 1   buckwheat 2       15     10 buckwheat 1         2   1  
mung beans 1               mung beans         1   1 1 mung beans                 mung beans                 mung beans 7     31 3 23 7 6  
sunflower               2 sunflower 1 1 2           sunflower           1     sunflower                 sunflower       3 1 1      
sorghum-sudan                 sorghum-sudan                 sorghum-sudan 1         3 13   sorghum-sudan     12           sorghum-sudan 33 1 23 12   15 13    
millet                 millet                 millet                 millet           10     millet                  
bare ground   8       2 2 3 bare ground   5   8 1 65 40 25 bare ground                 bare ground       2         bare ground                  
debris-no plants       15         debris-no plants   27     25 5 12 15 debris-no plants 5   1 3 1       debris-no plants       28   5   20 debris-no plants                  
Round 2 wild Forbs and Cover Crops test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot
name date K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 K-farm, 10/20/20 name date burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 burr oak, 10/20/2020 name date srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 srf farms, 11/1/2020 name date kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 kelly 11/3/2020 name date bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020 bountiful, 11/6/2020
plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D
clover, red             1   clover, red 25 11 17 6 3 7 20 9 clover, red 11 3 2   13 21 12 11 clover, red 3 6 10 17 2 3 11 1 clover, red         17 2    
clover, white                 clover, white   5             clover, white 2         5     clover, white 7 15 2       1   clover, white         4 2    
clover, sweet   1 3           clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet 3 2   3   3    
clover, others 22,black medic 18, black medic   40, black medic 35, black medic 70, black medic 15, black medic 60, black medic clover, others   3, black medic             clover, others     7, black medic       13, black medic   clover, others 7, black medic   25, black medic 3, black medic     8, black medic   clover, others 60, black medic 80, black medic 75, black medic 75, black medic 40, black medic 51, black medic 65, black medic 65, black medic
other legumes   3, harry vetch 5, alfalfa 4, harry vetch 1, harry vetch 1, harry vetch 1, harry vetch 1, harry vetch other legumes 10, balansa 15, balansa   3, balansa 2, balansa 6, balansa   1, balansa other legumes     1, winter peas   3, balansa 15, balansa 1, winter peas   other legumes       1, winter pea   1, winter peas 1, harry vetch 5, winter peas other legumes 3, winter peas 1, winter peas 1, winter pea 1, winter peas 4, winter peas   3, winter peas  
other legumes   6, peas       1, peas   5, winter peas other legumes               1, winter peas other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes         2, harry vetch   1, harry vetch  
grass, orchard                 grass, orchard                 grass, orchard             12   grass, orchard                 grass, orchard               2
grass, timothy         1       grass, timothy 10   15 30 6   10 20 grass, timothy   33 7 17     22   grass, timothy   60     8 49   25 grass, timothy 35 11   3   17   7
grass, blue   60 3     2 3   grass, blue         3       grass, blue                 grass, blue 12   10     13 10   grass, blue         3   1  
grass, fescue   2 7   17 5 7   grass, fescue 40   45 85 42 42 60 55 grass, fescue 23           30   grass, fescue 5 3 10 25 20 1 40 18 grass, fescue 1         1 11  
grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                
grass, rye 5 6, annual   3 2   17   grass, rye           2     grass, rye 3 3 3 3   6   4 grass, rye 35 9   30 10 28 3 55 grass, rye         5   7 1
grass, other   1, milo     1, milo   1, milo   grass, other 1, milo 1, milo   1, milo         grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other     3, milo          
grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
golden rod   1     5   1 1 golden rod 2 16     3     2 golden rod                 golden rod                 golden rod 1 3   3        
ragweed           70, giant     ragweed                 ragweed 8, common   9, common   11, common 12, common     ragweed 35, common 17, common 50, common 3, common 20, common 8, common 3, common 25, common ragweed                
wild forbs 4, daisy fleabane   2?     1, foxtail 2, foxtail 3, foxtail wild forbs 20, daisy fleabane 1, elm tree 30, daisy fleabane 25, daisy fleabane 2, foxtail 63, daisy fleabane 2, elm trees 11, foxtail wild forbs 1, horse nettle 58, daisy fleabane 68, foxtail 67, daisy fleabane 3, dandelion 23, foxtail 65, daisy fleabane 42, daisy fleabane wild forbs       8, queen anns lace   1, horse nettle 2, queen anns lace 15, queen anns lace wild forbs 3, dandelion 7, daisy fleabane 3, foxtail 17, daisy fleabane 1, foxtail 19, daisy fleabane 3, foxtail 35, daisy fleabane
wild forbs 4, lespeda   4, daisy fleabane       15, quack grass 3, wild oats wild forbs 4, elm tree 3, foxtail 1, horse nettle 3, sedge 3, horse nettle 3, curly doc 5, daisy fleabane 20, daisy fleabane wild forbs 6, foxtail 35, foxtail 23, daisy fleabane 32, foxtail 40, daisy fleabane 13, dandelion 5, foxtail 39, foxtail wild forbs       1, daisy fleabane     3, iron weed 1, dandelion wild forbs x, daisy fleabane   1, queen anns lace 22, foxtail 11, plantain 1, dandelion 3, dandelion 6, sedge
wild forbs 3, joepye   35, joepye           wild forbs 2, foxtail 3, sticktights 1, elm tree   35, wild geranium 3, wild oats 2, sedge 4, elm tree wild forbs 38, daisy fleabane 3, dandelion 2, dandelion   3, bindweed   2, dandelion 13, dandelion wild forbs             3, daisy fleabane   wild forbs 1, black eyed susan       3, dandelion 1, foxtail 1, queen anns lace 1, elm tree
wild forbs 2, foxtail   1, iron weed           wild forbs 3, sedge   2, foxtail       5, wild geraniums 11, wild geranium wild forbs 6, dandelion       1, wild geranium   1, curly doc 1, elm tree wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs     4, poison ivy           wild forbs 1, horse nettle   10, wild geranium       2, wild oats 1, sedge wild forbs 15, wild oats       1, thistle       wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs               1, horse nettle wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
buckwheat                 buckwheat                 buckwheat                 buckwheat                 buckwheat                
mung beans                 mung beans                 mung beans                 mung beans                 mung beans                
sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                
sorghum-sudan 3 11 5 12   1 11 7 sorghum-sudan 2         1 1 2 sorghum-sudan   7       3 4 7 sorghum-sudan       2   9     sorghum-sudan 3   7 1 3   2  
millet 1     1 3   1   millet               2 millet                 millet                 millet                
rape   30   85     3 6 rape                 rape                 rape                 rape                
oats                 oats                 oats   27 17 3   17 2 11 oats 1 8       1   7 oats               1
radish                 radish                 radish                 radish   15       3     radish     4   5   3  
turnip                 turnip                 turnip                 turnip   7       2     turnip   1   1        
bare ground           1 1   bare ground                 bare ground                 bare ground                 bare ground             2  
debris-no plants           2 3   debris-no plants         5       debris-no plants       15 2       debris-no plants               debris-no plants              
Round 3-Wild Forbs and Cover Crops test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot
name date K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 K-farms 7/28/21 name date kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 kelly 6/19/21 name date Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 Bountiful 5/27/21 name date Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 Burr Oak 5/23/21 name date SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21 SRF 6/14/21
plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D
clover, red                 clover, red 1   1           clover, red     5       2   clover, red 3   7 1 2   15   clover, red 25 9 32   27 63 37 5
clover, white                 clover, white 17 55 80 27 15 35 5 22 clover, white                 clover, white 1 1     1   1   clover, white 18 2   5   15   11
clover, sweet           3     clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                
                  clover, others           12, black medic     clover,others 40, black medic 35, black medic 40, black medic 45, black medic 60, black medic 30, black medic 75, black medic 30 black medic clover, others 3, black medic   2, black medic       1, balansa 6, black medic clover, others 15, black medic 2, black medic 4, balansa 11, black medic 3, balansa      
clover, others   65, black medic   80, black medic 37, black medic 55, black medic 65, black medic 90, black medic clover, others 15, Black medic   30, black medic 35, black medic 5, black medic 3, crimson clover   11, black medic clover, others             27, crimson   clover, others                 clover, others     19, black medic   13, black medic      
other legumes 47, Lespedeza   65, lespedeza       7, lespedeza   other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                
other legumes 6, sticktights               other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                
grass, orchard             6   grass, orchard     1           grass, orchard           5     grass, orchard             1   grass, orchard     1          
grass, timothy                 grass, timothy                 grass, timothy                 grass, timothy         1       grass, timothy 3             7
grass, blue                 grass, blue   42 55 50     60 35 grass, blue       5 15     72 grass, blue 10 50 30 22 2 50 30   grass, blue                
grass, fescue       3 45   7   grass, fescue 75 25 45 45 40 40 75 30 grass, fescue             3   grass, fescue 40 45 50 95 50 50 25 90 grass, fescue 3 3 11   3 3 5  
grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda 2         1 3   grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda             5   grass, bermuda                
grass, rye                 grass, rye   5 10   1 20 20 2 grass, rye 10   14 3 25   24 2 grass, rye 2 7   5   6 1   grass, rye                
grass, other 11, johnson grass   6, johnson grass   3, johnson grass       grass, other                 grass, other 25, quack 28, cheatgrass 70, cheatwheat 52, cheatgrass 6, quack 12, cheatgrass 50, cheatwheat 15, cheatwheat grass, other                 grass, other   7, annual rye 17, cheatwheat 3, annual rye 11, annual rye   1, cheatwheat  
grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other 3, brome       40, cheatwheat       grass, other                 grass, other   6, cheatwheat     72, cheatwheat      
wild forbs 1, horsenettle   1, poison ivy   11, marestail       wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
golden rod 6 11 1 1   2 1   golden rod       12     1   golden rod                 golden rod 7 20 4 1 18 3 7   golden rod                
ragweed                 ragweed               15, common ragweed       1, common         ragweed 2, giant 1, common 12, giant 1, common 15, giant 1, giant 7, giant   ragweed 85, common 62, common 52, common 17, common 29, common 64, common 65, common 27, common
wild forbs 1, poison ivy 2, foxtail 7, horsenettle 11, plantain 2, foxtail 45, marestail 1, wild celery 4, foxtail wild forbs 6, dandelion 4, horsenettle 4, horsenettle 1, horsenettle 1, horsenettle 3, horsenettle 1, ironweed 2, horsenettle wild forbs 1, joepye 3, joepye 1, wild lettuce 5, marestail 32 queen ann 1, wild geranium 3, dandelion 1, dandelion wild forbs 2, horsenettle 5, horsenettle 2, elm tree 1, horsenettle 17, wild oats 1, common ragweed 3, common ragweed 4, horsenettle wild forbs 1, pepper weed 3, joepye 27, daisy fleabane 3, giant ragweed 7, daisey fleabane 3, joepye weed 3, wild geranium 42, daisy fleabane
wild forbs   25, marestail 6, foxtail 11, pepperweed 5, plantain 6, foxtail 5, wild lettuce 1, goatsbeard wild forbs 7, sedge 7, bullrush 1, black locust 1, elm tree   3, wood sorrel 3, sedge 1, elm tree wild forbs 1, sandbur 1, venus looking glass 2, joepye 3, ironweed 3, dandelion 1, dandelion 1, joepye 3, wild lettuce wild forbs 5, elm trees 4, sedge 3, horsenettle 1, morning glory 1, bed straw 1, bindweed 2, horsenettle 20, elm trees wild forbs 1, wild geranium 16, wild geranium 10, dandelion 42, iron weed 1, little barley 11, dandelion 19, dandelion 15, dandelion
wild forbs   7, plantain 1, marestail 25, foxtail 1, dodder 1, dodder 1, milkweed 15, marestail wild forbs     10, bullrush     1, elm tree   1, bullrush wild forbs 12, bullrush 1, marestail       3, venus looking glass 12, venus looking glass 2, venus looking glass wild forbs 2, common ragweed   5, wild oats 1, bindweed   1, horsenettle 1, bindweed   wild forbs 6, daisey fleabane 4, dandelion 7, little barley   4, bindweed   7, wild oats 1, plantain
wild forbs     1, smartweed 2, bullrush     11, marestail 2, queenann wild forbs           1, black locust   2, dandelion wild forbs   1, elm tree       2, elm tree     wild forbs     1, bullrush 1, elm tree   11, sedge 3, sedge   wild forbs 2, little barley 3, daisy fleabane 3, wild oats   2, wild oats     14, venus looking glass
wild forbs             11, plantain 1, wild lettuce wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs     2, wild parsnip     1, bullrush     wild forbs 7, dandelion 7, bull rush     1, elm tree     1, wild oats
wild forbs             6, joepye 1, joepye wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs               2, elm tree
wild forbs               15, plantain wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs               4, dodder wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
buckwheat                 buckwheat         3 4 11 3 buckwheat 3 3 1   15 5   7 buckwheat       1   1 7 1 buckwheat 3              
                                    turnups     2 2         turnips                 turnips                
mung beans                 mung beans                 mung beans         3       mung beans                 mung beans                
sunflower               1 sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                
sorghum-sudan 3 5 1   1 5     sorghum-sudan                 sorghum-sudan                 sorghum-sudan                 sorghum-sudan                
peas                 peas 1 1 3         1 peas     3       3 1 peas               2 hay beans 1   1 13       12
                                    hay beans 2   2   12 3     hay beans   2             peas 1   7 5   1   15
millet                 millet                 millet                 millet                 millet       9        
bare ground   15 1 15 1 5 5 5 bare ground                 bare ground       7   7   4 bare ground         1       bare ground                
debris-no plants 21 30 29 19 15 25 37 15 debris-no plants 1     2     13   debris-no plants 25 55 30 17   12     debris-no plants                 debris-no plants   5   29       6
Round 4 wild forbs and cover crops test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot   test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot test plot control plot
name date K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 K Farm 11/24/21 name date kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 kelly 11/23/21 name date Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 Bountiful 11/24/21 name date burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 burr oak 11/16/21 name date SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21 SRF 11/14/21
plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D plot A A B B C C D D
clover, red                 clover, red   12             clover, red                 clover, red 3   3 3 3   9   clover, red   16 15   22 11 18 15
clover, white                 clover, white   10 7 1         clover, white         3     27 clover, white                 clover, white 5   6   10 12    
clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                 clover, sweet                
                                                                        clover, others   11, balansa       15, balansa   7, balansa
clover, others                 clover, others                 clover, others                 clover, others     6, balansa           clover, others   2, black medic 15, Balansa   30, balansa   11, balansa  
other legumes     3, sericea lespedeza           other legumes   2, black medic 1, black medic           other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                
other legumes     4, black medic           other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                 other legumes                
grass, orchard                 grass, orchard                 grass, orchard                 grass, orchard                 grass, orchard     5   5   4 17
grass, timothy                 grass, timothy   20 12 20 15   12 3 grass, timothy             7   grass, timothy                 grass, timothy 4 35 15   17   27  
grass, blue                 grass, blue   13 3 6 3 27 10   grass, blue 15               grass, blue   42 19     38 28   grass, blue       6   3    
grass, fescue 1   4     9     grass, fescue 90 60 80 60 95 90 90 90 grass, fescue             4   grass, fescue 89 76 85 98 90 75 70 99 grass, fescue 70   18 19   45 5 11
grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                 grass, bermuda                
grass, rye                 grass, rye                 grass, rye                 grass, rye                 grass, rye             3  
grass, other                 grass, other     1, purple top   3, purple top   3, purple top   grass, other 3, baby grass 3, baby grass 3, baby grass 33, baby grass   7, baby grass   7, baby grass grass, other                 grass, other                
grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                 grass, other                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
golden rod     1 10 2       golden rod                 golden rod   6 3 1     1 2 golden rod 2               golden rod                
ragweed   21, common   9, common 32, common 31, common   42, common ragweed       1, common     2, common 1, common ragweed 11, common   3, common 43, common 38, common 7, common 60, common 6, common ragweed 3, common   5, common   7, common   31, common   ragweed 25, common 32, common 25, common 13, common 7, common 23, common 15, common 3, common
wild forbs 1, thistle 4, wood sorrel 2, foxtail 5, daisy fleabane 7, wood sorrel 9, wood sorrel   2, queen ann wild forbs   1, dandelions   6, sedge     3, foxtail 2, dandelion wild forbs 6, daisy fleabane 3, barnyard grass 37, foxtail 1, blackeyed susan 7, queen anns lace 11, quack 3, dandelion 1, dandelion wild forbs 2, daisy fleabane 3, foxtail 3, foxtail 4, foxtail 5, daisy fleabane 7, foxtail 19, daisy fleabane 3, foxtail wild forbs 2, foxtail 5, dandelion 3, foxtail 11, daisy fleabane 1, dandelion 11, dandelion 2, dandelion 25, daisy fleabane
wild forbs   1, daisy fleabane   2, foxtail 8, joepye 3, foxtail   4, daisy flebane wild forbs   1, daisy fleabane             wild forbs 7, quack 7, quack   27, foxtail 7, daisy fleabane 3, moss 3, quack 7, queen anns lace wild forbs 21, foxtail 19, daisy fleabane 4, daisy fleabane 3, daisy fleabane   4, daisy fleabane 5, elm tree 8, elm trees wild forbs 7, dandelion 3, foxtail 22, dandelion 27, foxtail 7, daisy fleabane 3, daisy fleabane 5, curlydock 7, dandelion
wild forbs   4, foxtail   3, moss 4, foxtail     7, wood sorrel wild forbs   1, queen anns lace             wild forbs 7, foxtail 11, foxtail     1, venus looking glass   1, sedge 4, foxtail wild forbs     2, elm tree     2, horsenettle     wild forbs 2, daisy fleabane   5, daisy fleabane 7, barnyard grass 15, bindweed   3, foxtail 7, foxtail
wild forbs   7, moss           3, foxtail wild forbs                 wild forbs   3, moss     2, foxtail     1, barnyard grass wild forbs           5, elm tree     wild forbs       7, mushrooms       23, crabgrass
wild forbs               3, moss wild forbs                 wild forbs         1, mullein     5, quack wild forbs                 wild forbs               3, sedge
wild forbs               4, wild oats wild forbs                 wild forbs               21, sedge wild forbs                 wild forbs               2, elm tree
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                 wild forbs                
buckwheat                 buckwheat                 buckwheat                 buckwheat                 buckwheat                
mung beans                 mung beans 2               mung beans                 mung beans                 mung beans                
sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                 sunflower                
sorghum-sudan   4 7 12 5 3     sorghum-sudan       1     1   sorghum-sudan     2           sorghum-sudan   1           2 sorghum-sudan                
                  peas 6 15 12 1 12 3   1 peas 3     1 2   6 1 peas             3   peas               8
                                    radish         1       radish                 radish                
millet                 millet                 millet                 millet                 millet                
turnips     11           turnips                 turmips             3   turnips                 turnips                
kale     1           kale                 kale                 kale                 kale                
vetch     1         1 vetch   2 1         1 vetch       2     2   vetch                 vetch         3   18 2
bare ground 27 37 11 24 25 33 8 12 bare ground                 bare ground   7 3   4 7 3   bare ground                 bare ground   2   3     2 4
debris-no plants 85 66   3 75 72 55 77 debris-no plants 11         1     debris-no plants   12 26   17 17 16   debris-no plants   3 2       2 2 debris-no plants 30 5   7 3 3   5

When we observed the wild forbs and cover crops, the test and control plots were measured out, cross sectioned so that transects could be laid out and marked so the same points could be observed each time. The meter squares were placed over the marker, we placed a set of 2 meter sticks inside the square like a cross-hair to create four quadrants within the square. These quadrants helped us judge the percentages of each plant identified within the square. Some plants were not known to us and we had to identify them. We used several field guides and online websites to ID them. We photographed the plants each time we observed for reference.

Insect Collections:

Before we entered the test plots and control plots, we walked in a pattern around the plant transects swinging a sweep net 10 times thru the pattern. What ever was collected, we poured into zip style bag, marked with ranch name, date and control or test, then froze the insects to kill them for ease of identification and counting them. We had some mishaps and some frightening things happen. One rancher is allergic to wasps and bees, of course she caught a very unhappy wasp in her net, which she handed off to her son to put into the freezer. Then another rancher walked into her garage to find a giant puddle of formerly frozen food and of course her insect collection melted as well. The thawed insects were put back in the new freezer but they had already become a bit fuzzy from mold, they were quite unpleasant smelling when we dumped them on the table to ID and count. Below is the chart of insects with their score of Good, Bad, Detritivore and Food. Good =pollinator or predator, Bad = invasive, plant destruction, disease vector, Detritivore or Decomposer= break down dead materials, Food=food for other species.

importance key score of importance   FARM score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST     score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT     score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT     score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST       FARM score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST PLOT score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST score # of bugs DATE CONTROL PLOT score # of bugs DATE TEST    
Good=pollinator or parasitic G 1   Burr Oak     8/10/2020     8/10/2020     10/20/2020     10/20/2020     6/23/2021     6/23/2021     11/16/2021     11/16/2021   Bountiful     8/10/2020     8/10/2020     11/6/2020     11/6/2020     5/1/2021     5/1/2021     11/24/2021     11/24/2021   Big Dream Farms     8/10/2020     8/10/2020           11/3/2020     6/19/2021     6/19/2021     11/21/2021     11/21/2021   K Farms     8/10/2020     8/10/2020     11/6/2020     11/6/2020     7/28/2020     7/28/2021       StormRider Farm     8/10/2020     8/10/2020     11/1/2020     11/1/2020     6/14/2021     6/14/2021     11/14/2021     11/14/2021    
Food=valuable food source for other species F 2   Cathy Geary                                                   Dawn Hoover                                                   Kelly Clark                 LOST DATA                                 Sariah Hoover                                           Susan Jaster                                                    
Decomposer=break down dead, dying, diseases D 3     G 1 firefly G 1 caddisfly B 1 spotted squash bug D 1 gnat F 6 green grasshoppers B 3 japanese beetles B 3 leaf bug- lygus B 4 leafbug- lygus     B 1 tarnished plant bug B 1 tarnished plant bug G 3 spiders B 5 lygus bugs F 9 grasshoppers F 4 grasshoppers G 2 spiders G 1 small wasp     G 1 wasp F 1 green grasshoppper       B 6 aphids G 1 1 syphrid G 1 ant G 2 spiders B 1 small fly     F 1 green grasshopper F 1 green grasshopper B 9 lygus B 1 spotted squash bug     zero data F 9 grasshoppers         B 8 plantbug-lygus B 1 Beetle B 9 Leafbugs-lygus B 1 facefly B 12 Leafbugs- lygus G 26 Hover Fly     no bugs in collection B 2 leafbugs-lygus    
Bad=eat what we eat and/or cause diseases B 4     G 1 syphid fly-hoverfly G 1 cranefly G 1 small spider       B 1 housefly F 4 grasshoppers D 3 gnats B 1 shiny flower beetle     D 1 fungus ghant B 3 brown stink bug B 4 inch worms B 1 leaf hopper G 1 spider D 10 gnats F 2 grasshoppers G 1 spider     G 1 yellow faced bee B 2 cucumber beetles       B 5 leafhoppers F 1 1 housefly G 19 gnats D 3 gnats F 1 inchworm     B 6 facefly B 5 facefly G 1 hoverfly G 1 green lacewing       D 7 gnats         G 1 lacewing B 1 weavil G 1 hoverfly G 1 hooverfly F 3 Green Grasshoppers D 1 False Clicker beetle       B 1 inch worm    
          F 1 caddis fly G 1 hoverlfy B 2 thrips       B 1 facefly F 8 flies B 2 aphids F 1 window fly     G 1 hoverfly F 1 grasshopper B 12 lygus B 1 spotted squash beetles B 2 beetles G 6 spiders B 5 leafhoppers F 1 diptera     B 1 japanese beetle B 10 tarnished plant bugs       G 1 sweat bees G 2 2 sweatbees G 3 wasps       B 1 aphid     G 5 hoverfly G 6 hoverfly D 16 gnats F 1 inch worm       G 6 spiders         G 6 flies B 1 colorado beetle B 1 moquito       D 17 Gnats G 1 pink edge sulfur butterfly              
low score is better         F 1 crane fly F 1 katydid G 3 minute pirate bug       D 5 gnats G 3 hoverflies B 1 mosquito G 1 hoverfly           G 1 moth G 1 wasp G 1 spider B 2 inch worms G 3 sweat bees F 1 diptera B 1 leafhopper     G 1 spider G 1 hover fly       B 1 beetle B 1 1 aphid B 4 lined plant bug       G 2 spiders     G 1 butterfly G 1 butterfly G 1 wasp B 12 leaf bugs-lygus                     G 1 lightning bug B 28 leafbug-lygus             B 7 Shining flower beetles F 6 grasshoppers                
          D 1 fungus gnat B 1 tarnish plant bug                   B 1 mosquito G 1 pteromalid wasp D 1 gnat           B 2 housefly G 2 hover flies F 3 small flies G 1 sweatbee                       F 3 grasshoppers G 1 syphrId fly       B 4 lygus leaf bugs F 2 2 adult grasshoppers B 1 house fly       D 10 gnats     F 1 baby grasshopper F 1 baby grasshopper G 3 diptera                           F 6 grasshopper G 1 spider             G 20 Hoverflies B 18 Leafbug-Lygus                
          B 1 tarnish plant bug                         D 7 gnats       G 1 wasp honeybee           F 1 katydid B 1 leafhopper       G 1 large red ant                       F 3 small flies G 2 spiders             F 30 30 young grasshoppers F 2 grasshoppers       B 4 leafhoppers     G 1 lace wing B 6 leaf bug-lygus                                 G 16 hoverflys G 1 dragonfly             B 1 Facefly G 7 flys                
                                                                    G 1 spider B 4 drosophila       D 14 gnats                             B 2 house flies             B 3 3 beetle instars G 2 fritillary butterfly                 B 5 leaf bug-lygus D 2 gnats                                       G 13 hoverfly             G 1 Stilt bug G 1 spider                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
graze no.>name Cathy :test Cathy :control Dawn:test Dawn :Control Kelly: test Kelly: Control Sariah:test Sariah:Control Susan:test Susan:Control  
in minutes WATER INFILTRATION Chart                  
4th 15:26.9 06:12.4 01:12.6 01:43.7 00:40.0 33:05.6 05:30.1 05:30.5 10:42.0 12:24.5  
                       
3rd covid covid 05:31.8 04:12.6 00:01.3 00:56.1 01:43.0 07:48.2 00:17.7 00:14.9  
                       
2nd 10:00.0 10:00.0 15:00.0 04:28.0 10:00.0 02:00.0 20:00.0 20:00.0 04:59.0 15:35.0  
                       
1st 35:00.0 35:00.0 08:45.0 01:27.0 14:35.3 36:00.0 07:57.0 02:30.0 34:13.0 04:18.1  
                       
                       

Above the water infiltration test was done on each test and control plot after the test plot was grazed. We used a 6 inch metal pipe which was cut to a 6 inch length. I tried to find a piece of PVC pipe short enough, none of my neighbors or friends had the correct size or would cut off a piece for us. So I drove to a metal pipe company. I asked if they would cut off a six inch length of six inch diameter pipe, for a price they would do this. Their employee who could cut the pipe was called in, he found the proper size pipe, cut it with a circular saw. He could not bevel the edge, so I left. They did send me a Christmas card for being a $13 customer. I took the pipe to one of my neighbors to get the pipe edge beveled, he tried to grind it down with a disk grinder, this did not work very well. We had to pound in the metal ring, 2 x 4 across the pipe, with a sledge hammer. We then cut a 12-14 inch sheet of plastic wrap, placed inside the ring, touching the ground as a barrier, then poured 15 ounces of water over the plastic wrap. As the stop watch was started, the plastic wrap was removed to allow the water to soak into the soil. Some of our soils were very hard and dry or contained lots of clay, preventing the water to soak in.

                       
  graze #, name> Cathy :test Cathy :control Dawn:test Dawn :Control Kelly: test Kelly: Control Sariah:test Sariah:Control Susan:test Susan:Control
adjusted CO2-C basedon temperature of soil(lbs/acre) 4th 22 6 1 1 2 6 1 1 12 13
likely Organic Nitrogen Mineralized over growing season (lbs/acre)   26 10.5 3 3.5 4 10.5 3.5 3.5 16 18
dollars saved due to biological Nitrogen per acre   25 10.22 3.02 3.55 3.93 10.01 3.32 3.19 15.52 17.31
                       
adjusted CO2-C basedon temperature of soil(lbs/acre) 3rd
 
  7 9 18 11 3 5 98 40
likely Organic Nitrogen Mineralized over growing season (lbs/acre)       5 7 16 11.5 6.5 9 36.5 22
dollars saved due to biological Nitrogen per acre       5.04 6.63 15.17 10.88 6.13 8.82 35.03 21.23
                       
adjusted CO2-C basedon temperature of soil(lbs/acre) 2nd 6 5 1 1 4 4 32 9 21 19
likely Organic Nitrogen Mineralized over growing season (lbs/acre)   10 9.5 3.5 3 8 8 24.5 10 19.5 18.5
dollars saved due to biological Nitrogen per acre   9.48 9.12 3.14 2.9 7.66 7.66 23.4 9.54 18.79 17.53
                       
adjusted CO2-C basedon temperature of soil(lbs/acre) 1st 98 109 5 5 201 182 5 2 40 33
likely Organic Nitrogen Mineralized over growing season (lbs/acre)   69.5 72.5 9.5 9.5 102.5 101.5 6.5 3 33.5 29.5
dollars saved due to biological Nitrogen per acre   66.93 69.8 8.99 8.99 96 96 6.36 3.04 32.22 28.4

Above the chart shows the Solvita test results. In the notes above, I gave some precautions about this product. This test was based off of how much carbon was left in the soil after grazing or not grazing. We sieved all the soil to place in jars, again see notes, The results that show on the card had to be soil temperature corrected for a correct carbon reading. This was a not a difficult calculation due to the use of their online calculator. Solvita could also calculate how much money was saved by sequestering carbon and using fewer inputs.

graze #, name> Cathy :test Cathy :control Dawn:test Dawn :Control Kelly: test Kelly: Control Sariah:test Sariah:Control Susan:test Susan:Control
4th, 2021 32%F:68%B 28%F:72%B 30%F:70%B 13%F:87%B 5%F:95%B 2%F:98%B 8%F:92%B 1%F:99%B 10%F:90%B 12%F:88%B
  0.5:1 0.4:1             0.1:1 0.1:1
  251ug C/g 317ug C/g     66ug C/g 43ug C/g     125ug C/g 143ug C/g
3rd, 2021 covid covid 32%F:68%B 8%F:92%B 5%F:95%B 42%F:58%B 5%F:95%B   26%F:74%B 18%F:82%B
                  0.3:1 0.2:1
          62ug C/g 386ugC/g     303ug C/g 251ug C/g
2nd, 2020 32%F:68%B 26%F:74%B         22%F:78%B 26%F:74%B 27%F:73%B 30%F:70%B
  0.5:1 0.4:1         0.3:1 0.4:1 0.4:1 0.4:1
  270ug C/g 220ug C/g         52ug C/g 226ug C/g 64ug C/g 76ug C/g
                     
  We didn't have the www.Microbiometer.com test for the first round of grazing!        
                     

ABOVE-The microbiometer test is a quick test, about 20 minutes to perform the entire test. It is a low cost test. We uploaded the "app" to our phones. The QR code made it easy to find and use the app. The app also filed each test into a folder until it was needed. It will calculate the fungi to bacteria ratio in your soil, to show succession rate of soil.

Research results and discussion:

We will include results and recommendations/discussion after second year of our project.

The charts are the results from placing our data into The R project for statistical computing. Click on the chart to enlarge it.

Active Carbon Plot adjusted CO2 Plot adjusted Plant Canopy Correlation aggregate stability anaerobicsoil plants average legume canopy badinsectplot fungi to bacteria correlation carbon plants soil health change correlation detritivore insects dollars saved plot food class insects good insects hard pan plants insect correlation low porosity plants low soil bacteria plants nitrogen plants ONM plot pH-H2O plot pHsalt plot plant canopy correlation saline soil plants soil health change correlation soil stabilizing plant plot Solvita Correlation total plant canopy plot

 

The results below are given in a chart to compare each participant's soil health results for the duration and below this first chart is the comparisonfarms during each graze of the project. The University of Missouri Soil Health Analysis Center(SHAC) included the averages per county, averages per the state and Missouri grassland averages. Data is reported via GPS address. SHAC uses a modified Haney test.

graze #, name> Cathy :test         Cathy :control           Dawn:test         Dawn :Control           Kelly: test         Kelly: Control           Sariah:test         Sariah:Control           Susan:test         Susan:Control        
  Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%) Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%)   Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%) Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%)   Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%) Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%)   Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%) Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%)   Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%) Active C (mg/Kg) Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stab (%)
4th 868.3 169.5 6.4 6.1 73 658.1 169.5 6.2 5.7 74   518.4 82.0 6.3 5.9 48 275.8 60.5 5.8 5.3 48   430.6 78.0 5.7 5.2 78 320.4 63.5 5.5 5.0 68   306.7 57.5 6.1 5.6 50 321.8 18.5 6.1 5.6 60 Fall 2021 846.0 146.5 6.3 6.2 74 850.3 161.5 6.7 6.4 77
                                                                                                             
3rd 910.8 214.5 6.4 5.8 83 699.1 174 6.3 5.8 85   246.2 33.5 6.1 5.5 45 404.6 71.5 5.9 5.3 58   559.4 138.5 5.9 5.3 86 654.5 156 5.8 5.4 83   211.7 16 5.9 5.2 42 208.1 13.5 5.9 5.4 53 Spring 2021 869 187 6.7 6.2 85 794.2 193.5 6.8 6.3 82
                                                                                                             
2nd 382.3 59 6.4 5.8 22 275 32 6.6 6.1 18   301 49 6.3 5.8 44 241.2 46.5 6 5.6 40   663.1 214.5 6 5.5 90 735.8 209 5.8 5.5 92   202.3 42 5.6 5.3 37 175 31 6.2 5.8 31 Fall 2020 820.1 147.5 6.6 6.2 74 777.6 122 6.8 6.4 73
                                                                                                             
1st 556.6 119 5.8 6.2 77 511.2 91 5.8 6.2 60   324 56 5.9 6.4 53 401.8 60.5 5.3 5.9 56   729.4 145 5.2 5.7 80 698.4 180.5 5.3 5.7 82   226.8 15 5.6 6.2 39 372.2 49 5.9 6.4 53 Spring 2020 720.7 102.5 5.9 6.3 76 681.1 97.5 6 6.5 70
                                                                                                             
original Jan 2020 394.6 70.5 5.9 6.3 16 394.6 70.5 5.9 6.3 16   324.7 42.5 5.8 6.3 12 324.7 42.5 5.8 6.3 12   491.8 97.5 5.6 6.0 28 491.8 97.5 5.6 6.0 28   396.7 87.0 5.5 6.0 27 396.7 87.0 5.5 6.0 27 PRE 496.1 70.5 5.9 6.3 13 496.1 70.5 5.9 6.3 13
Lafayette Co. Ave. (Row Crop) 449.9 79.3 7.1 6.6 26           Jackson Co. Ave. (Row Crop) 546.6 111.7 6.7 6.4 33           Jackson Co. Ave. (Row Crop) 546.6 111.7 6.7 6.4 33           Jackson Co. Ave. (Row Crop) 546.6 111.7 6.7 6.4 33           Lafayette Co. Ave. (Row Crop) 449.9 79.3 7.1 6.6 26          
MO State Ave. (Row Crop) 482.6 77.3 7.0 6.6 32           MO State Ave. (Row Crop) 482.6 77.3 7.0 6.6 32           MO State Ave. (Row Crop) 482.6 77.3 7.0 6.6 32           MO State Ave. (Row Crop) 482.6 77.3 7.0 6.6 32           MO State Ave. (Row Crop) 482.6 77.3 7.0 6.6 32          
MO Grassland Average 679.0       71.6           MO Grassland Average 679.0       71.6           MO Grassland Average 679.0       71.6           MO Grassland Average 679.0       71.6           MO Grassland Average 679.0       71.6          
                                                                                                             
Spring 2020   Active Carbon Min N (ppm) pH water pH salt Agg Stability                                                                                                
20-3315 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Test-090120 556.6 119 5.8 6.2 77                                                                                                
20-3316 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Ctrl-090120 511.2 91 5.8 6.2 60                                                                                                
20-3317 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Test-090120 720.7 102.5 5.9 6.3 76                                                                                                
20-3318 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Ctrl-090120 681.1 97.5 6 6.5 70                                                                                                
20-3319 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Test-090120 324 56 5.9 6.4 53                                                                                                
20-3320 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Ctrl-090120 401.8 60.5 5.3 5.9 56                                                                                                
20-3321 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Test-090120 226.8 15 5.6 6.2 39                                                                                                
20-3322 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Ctrl-090120 372.2 49 5.9 6.4 53                                                                                                
20-3323 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Test-090120 729.4 145 5.2 5.7 80                                                                                                
20-3324 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Ctrl-090120 698.4 180.5 5.3 5.7 82                                                                                                
                                                                                                             
Fall 2020                                                                                                            
21-0656 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Test-041521 382.3 59 6.4 5.8 22                                                                                                
21-0657 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Ctrl-041521 275 32 6.6 6.1 18                                                                                                
21-0658 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Test-041921 820.1 147.5 6.6 6.2 74                                                                                                
21-0659 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Ctrl-041921 777.6 122 6.8 6.4 73                                                                                                
21-0660 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Test-041721 301 49 6.3 5.8 44                                                                                                
21-0661 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Ctrl-041721 241.2 46.5 6 5.6 40                                                                                                
21-0662 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Test-041721 202.3 42 5.6 5.3 37                                                                                                
21-0663 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Ctrl-041721 175 31 6.2 5.8 31                                                                                                
21-0664 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Test-041821 663.1 214.5 6 5.5 90                                                                                                
21-0665 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Ctrl-041821 735.8 209 5.8 5.5 92                                                                                                
                                                                                                             
spring 2021                                                                                                            
21-3749 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Test-082721 910.8 214.5 6.4 5.8 83                                                                                                
21-3750 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Ctrl-082721 699.1 174 6.3 5.8 85                                                                                                
21-3751 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Test-082921 869 187 6.7 6.2 85                                                                                                
21-3752 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Ctrl-082921 794.2 193.5 6.8 6.3 82                                                                                                
21-3753 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Test-082621 246.2 33.5 6.1 5.5 45                                                                                                
21-3754 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Ctrl-082621 404.6 71.5 5.9 5.3 58                                                                                                
21-3755 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Test-082621 211.7 16 5.9 5.2 42                                                                                                
21-3756 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Ctrl-082621 208.1 13.5 5.9 5.4 53                                                                                                
21-3757 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Test-082721 559.4 138.5 5.9 5.3 86                                                                                                
21-3758 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Ctrl-082721 654.5 156 5.8 5.4 83                                                                                                
                                                                                                             
Fall 2021                                                                                                            
22-0008 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Test-112221 868.3 169.5 6.4 6.1 73                                                                                                
22-0007 MO-107-SJ-Geary-Ctrl-112221 658.1 169.5 6.2 5.7 74                                                                                                
22-0010 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Test-112021 846.0 146.5 6.3 6.2 74                                                                                                
22-0009 MO-107-SJ-Jaster-Ctrl-112021 850.3 161.5 6.7 6.4 77                                                                                                
22-0004 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Test-122721 518.4 82.0 6.3 5.9 48                                                                                                
22-0003 MO-095-SJ-HooverD-Ctrl-122721 275.8 60.5 5.8 5.3 48                                                                                                
22-0006 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Test-112921 306.7 57.5 6.1 5.6 50                                                                                                
22-0005 MO-095-SJ-HooverS-Ctrl-112921 321.8 18.5 6.1 5.6 60                                                                                                
22-0002 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Test-112721 430.6 78.0 5.7 5.2 78                                                                                                
22-0001 MO-095-SJ-Clark-Ctrl-112721 320.4 63.5 5.5 5.0 68                                                                                                
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             

Table 1. MANOVA results testing for differences between treatments and sampling periods. Differences between sampling periods was included in our analysis because plots were repeatedly measured. Because COVID-19 caused data loss, we subset our data to minimize dropping observations due to no data. Four different subsets were tested. (A) MANOVA results from testing the mean percentage of vegetation classification groups between treatments and sampling periods. (B) Results from testing soil health measures, grazing days, water infiltration times, and Solvita test measurements. (C) Results from testing differences in soil health analysis measurement between the pre-test samples and samples taken during sampling periods. (D) Results from testing the proportions of each insect class. No MANOVA result indicated that there were significant statistical differences between treatments, because of this, even though there were statistically significant differences between sampling periods, we did not proceed with post hoc univariate tests. A difference between sampling periods was only relevant if there was also a difference between the treatment and control.

(A)

        

 

Pillai's Trace

F-statistic

Degrees of Freedom

p-value

Treatment

0.25906

1.1266

29

0.3763

Sample Period

0.37523

1.9353

29

0.0862

Residuals

37

      
         

(B)

 

 

 

 

 

Pillai's Trace

F-statistic

Degrees of Freedom

p-value

Treatment

0.08527

0.2424

26

0.9883

Sample Period

0.74732

7.6897

26

<0.001

Residuals

35

      
         

(C)

 

 

 

 

 

Pillai's Trace

F-statistic

Degrees of Freedom

p-value

Treatment

0.03453

0.236

33

0.9438

Sample Period

0.7426

19.041

33

<0.001

Residuals

37

      
         

(D)

        

 

Pillai's Trace

F-statistic

Degrees of Freedom

p-value

Treatment

0.10763

0.93473

31

0.4567

Sample Period

0.13347

1.19369

31

0.3331

Residuals

34

      

In the end, the statistics show no difference between control and test plots, possibly due to having no distance between the plots. The microbiome of the test plots spread very fast to the control plots and left us with great results in both test and control and no way to tell them apart from the data that was collected.

                                                                                                            

Therefore we cannot create a tool to predict what succession will be from the plants and insects correlated to the soil health samples.

Participation Summary
5 Farmers participating in research

Educational & Outreach Activities

1 Published press articles, newsletters
2 Webinars / talks / presentations
2 Other educational activities: We all spoke at the MidAmerica Organic Association Conference about the grant 2021. Susan Jaster spoke at the Missouri Livestock Symposium in Kirksville, MO about the Grant in Dec. 3, 2022. https://missourilivestock.com/goats.

Participation Summary:

28 Farmers participated
8 Ag professionals participated
Education/outreach description:

One article about FNC20-1224 has been written for a contest, which was won in Jan 2021.

The decision tool or calculator has not been created yet, and cannot be due to Null data results on Manova statistical analysis.

We had hoped to attend the MO Forage and Grassland Council conference in 2020 to tell about FNC20-1224, but covid-19 hit, and the conference was cancelled.  We also plan to attend the Livestock Symposium and the MO Forage and Grassland Council 2021 conferences to present our findings, if the conferences are held in 2021. If they are not held we will find a way to do a zoom meeting.

Article written:

eXtension.orgConnect ExtensionSubgroups Farm Journal Monthly Story Lead Contest

Farm Journal Monthly Story Lead Contest

This monthly contest is a partnership between eXtension and Farm Journal's Trust in Food initiative to lift up stories about the clients of Extension. Farm Journal is the nation’s leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 144 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors.

SARE project :Regenerative Practices find Free Ecoservices

SEJASTER 1 SECOND AGO

 

Small farms are much more interesting than large ones, take for example my SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant FNC20-1224 as a look into 5 ranchers who want to improve their knowledge about regenerative practices and soil health.  We want to preserve our farm soils, feed ourselves and sell the rest in a way that will leave our ranches resilient to climate change, enhance our lives, lower our inputs and generally make our lives better.  We may not be ready to sell carbon credits but we are learning how to create them in an up-close and personal way.

We are looking at soil health, return of biology to damaged soil, succession plants and improved habitat for predator and pollinator insects by gathering an inventory of species present. That is a great deal of research to  cram into a two year study.  As women ranchers, we find that building resilience to any future "problems" is our heritage and culture. 

The five of us are super-involved in all aspects of our tiny ranches! From feeding the poultry, milking cows and goats to data entry on livestock production and finances to watching our families grow; we are involved. There are no department managers, our "team meetings" are during meals and kisses goodbye to make sure things get done while we are away at other jobs and tasks and thanking the spouse who is willing to take care of "it".

"It" is about making sure our soils are in good health.  We are growing cover crops by over-seeding them into perennial pastures.  We are catching insects over the test plots and identifying them.  We are using a field test which tells us how much carbon remains in the soil with proper grazing and another test which measures the fungus to bacteria ratios.  We are taking soil samples to the lab to find out the level of biological activity; we want to properly care for our tiny subterranean livestock-the mycorrhizae.

Free ecoservices are great. The tiny subterranean livestock communicate with each other to care for the forages growing in the test plots plus they  improve water infiltration and nutrient cycling. We did not even have to ask or force them to do this job with synthetic inputs, just add cover crops. The mycorrhizae feed themselves and colonize to maximize water/nutrient intake of the plants and gain shelter in the root exudates. Our plants are great for grazing, are not as susceptible to invasive insect damage even though our insect identification shows by numbers they are present.  Our soil health numbers have gone up and we feel that the fungus to bacteria number will improve as we continue into the second year of data collection.

Regenerative practices of adaptive grazing and broadcasting cover crops over perennials are low cost and easy to do. With high hopes for improved numbers in soil health we love getting free ecoservices. 

Tags: Free Ecoservices, Regenerative Practices, health, soil, SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant

From: Aaron Weibe <aaronweibe@extension.org>
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2021, 6:55 PM
To: Susan Jaster; Matthews, Yvonne; Chris Geith; Albert E Essel
Subject: Fwd: January 2021 contest winner!

Susan,

Thanks for your submission for the January 2021 Farm Journal Story Lead contest! I'm pleased to tell you that your story lead has been selected to be developed and featured with Farm Journal, and to lift up Lincoln University Cooperative Extension nationally!
 
Nate Birt will be reaching out to you soon. Congrats again!
 
Best,
 
Aaron Weibe
eXtension Foundation 
 
Feb 1-3, 2022
Susan, Dawn, Cathy and Kelly presented our project to the Mid-America Organic Association Conference in Lake Ozark, MO.
We had very few results to talk about but each of the ranchers talked about her experience and what she had learned so far. Soil health analysis has proven to be very good so far, with numbers rising after each addition of cover crops and grazing animals (see chart). We observed a change in plant percentages, as identified in our one meter by one meter transects, from the first year to the second.  The water infiltration times improved in the second year on most of the ranches. We have not identified all the insects yet and will work on this.  
 

Learning Outcomes

5 Farmers reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness as a result of their participation
Lessons Learned:

We proposed to assess whether wild forb and insect biodiversity and abundance can be used as surrogates in measuring soil health on farms where regenerative methods have been practiced for several years and where they are newly implemented. Cover crops will be used to improve soil health which should stimulate wild forb growth and insect species utilization of pastures.

With Null results, it looks like wild forbs and insect biodiversity should not be used as surrogates in measuring soil health on farms using regenerative methods. But cover crops will improve soil in many ways, such as preventing monocultures and mining nutrients from varying depths in the soil profile, capturing sunlight for the production of photosynthesis in plants, so plants will create glomalin to feed the mycorrhizal fungi. Insect populations had a mixture of pollinators, predators, food for other animals, decomposers and bad bugs that eat what we eat or vector diseases.

We could say that we did better than expected due to the abundance that spread itself from the test plots to the control plots. Regenerative practices can create change very fast according to many agrarians. UnderstandingAg.com recommends that you begin on the best, healthiest part of your farm, graze your animals there and move on from that space into the poorer areas. Practicing regenerative principals in this manner will, through adaptive stewardship, spread the microbiome of your soil, create a mycorrhizal fungal communications network from plant to plant, cycle water properly, cycle minerals for the plants as they use solar energy or photosynthesis-feeding the mycorrhizae while promoting diversity. Even though we cannot prove that insect biodiversity and wild forb populations tell us that our soil health is improving and we still need to send soil samples to the soil health lab to make sure, we found that we still have the confidence that our soils are producing a healthy place to graze our livestock on healthy plants and enjoy free ecoservices that lower our bottom line by reducing our inputs.

With the news of Null results and some disappointment on my part, I scoured some websites for more information, maybe someone had created a biodiversity type calculator. I found a Healthy Farm Index tool from the Organic-Center, created by Dr. John Quinn,  et al.

https://www.organic-center.org/farm-biodiversity-tools

https://johnquinniv.shinyapps.io/biodiversity_caculator_v06/

https://johnquinniv.wixsite.com/agroecology/healthy-farm-index

 

John Quinn

Associate Professor of Biology & Chair of the Environmental Studies Minor

Furman University

Website: http://johnquinniv.wix.com/johnquinniv

Schedule a Meeting: https://johnquinniv.youcanbook.me

Re: [External] RE: biodiversity calculator
Amber Sciligo <asciligo@organic-center.org>
Tue 12/13/2022 8:18 AM
To:
Jaster, Susan <JasterS@lincolnu.edu>;
Libby Mucciarone <LMucciarone@ota.com>
Hi Susan,
We’d love for you to share this tool out with farmers! Thanks for reaching out and thanks to you, Libby, for connecting us.
Susan, you’ll find a good round up of information about this tool at
https://www.organic-center.org/farm-biodiversity-tools
(if you haven’t seen this link already).
While you can cite The Organic Center as a research partner, the tool creation was led by Dr. John Quinn at Furman University, and if you have questions about the functionality of the tool or other specific details, I suggest reaching out to him as well:
John
Quinn
Associate Professor of Biology & Chair of the Environmental Studies Minor
Furman University
Website:
http://
johnquinn
iv.wix.com/
johnquinn
iv
Schedule a Meeting:
https://
johnquinn
iv.youcanbook.me
Otherwise, if you have any other birds eye view type questions about the tool, I’d be happy to dig in with you.
All the best,
Amber
------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Amber Sciligo
(she/her)
Director of Science Programs
The Organic Center
444 N. Capitol St. NW,
Suite 445A, Washington D.C. 20001
Office: 202-403-8647; Mobile: 202-294-2816
asciligo@organic-center.org
https://www.organic-center.org
I occupy the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Adena, Cherokee East, and Hopewell peoples. In offering this land acknowledgement, I affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history and experiences.
From:
Jaster, Susan <JasterS@lincolnu.edu>
Date:
Monday, December 12, 2022 at 9:05 PM
To:
Libby Mucciarone <LMucciarone@ota.com>
12/23/22, 12:35 AM Mail - Jaster, Susan - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAMkADM2MDY4M2UyLWExOGMtNGRkNC04NGYzLTFhMzI2MzQ1MmViOABGAAAAAACaW2LjNt3IS5JQx… 2/3
Cc:
Amber Sciligo <asciligo@organic-center.org>
Subject:
Re: [External] RE: biodiversity calculator
Thank you, Libby!
Regards,
Susan Jaster
jasters@lincolnu.edu
Lincoln University Cooperative Extension
Regional Farm Outreach Worker in Lafayette, Johnson & Cass Counties
Innovative Small Farmers' Outreach Program
816-589-4725
PO Box 826
Concordia, MO 64020
http://www.lincolnu.edu/web/programs-and-projects/innovative-small-farmers-outreach-program
htt ps://www.facebook.com/pages/ISFOP-Innovati ve-Small-Farmers-Outreach-Program/489644317781774?ref=hl
http://www.agrability.org/resources/frsan/
Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN)
From:
Libby Mucciarone <LMucciarone@ota.com>
Sent:
Monday, December 12, 2022 4:57 PM
To:
Jaster, Susan <JasterS@lincolnu.edu>
Cc:
Amber Sciligo <asciligo@organic-center.org>
Subject:
[External] RE: biodiversity calculator
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for reaching out. I’ve copied in my colleague, Dr. Amber Sciligo, Director of Science Programs who helped to work both on this webinar and the calculator. She’s the best person to provide information and support you.
With regards,
_________________________________________
Libby Mucciarone
(she/her/hers)
Organic Trade Association |
OTA.com
|
@OrganicTrade
Direct: 202.403.8646 | Main: 202.403.8520 |
lmucciarone@ota.com
From:
Jaster, Susan <JasterS@lincolnu.edu>
Sent:
Monday, December 12, 2022 2:50 PM
To:
Libby Mucciarone <LMucciarone@ota.com>
Subject:
biodiversity calculator
The Organic Center Presents: The Biodiversity Calculator - A Simple Tool for Tracking & Managing Biodiversity for NOP Compliance
Please contact the organizer for more information:
lmucciarone@ota.com
.
12/23/22, 12:35 AM Mail - Jaster, Susan - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAMkADM2MDY4M2UyLWExOGMtNGRkNC04NGYzLTFhMzI2MzQ1MmViOABGAAAAAACaW2LjNt3IS5JQx… 3/3
I found information about your biodiversity calculator on the Wild Farm Alliance website. I am finalizing my report for a SARE.org Grant FNC20-1224. I would love to add your calculator, properly accredited with your permission, of course, to share in the report with other farmers and ranchers. Would you be able to share this information?
Regards,
Susan Jaster
jasters@lincolnu.edu
Lincoln University Cooperative Extension
Regional Farm Outreach Worker in Lafayette, Johnson & Cass Counties
Innovative Small Farmers' Outreach Program
816-589-4725
PO Box 826
Concordia, MO 64020
http://www.lincolnu.edu/web/programs-and-projects/innovative-small-farmers-outreach-program
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ISFOP-Innovative-Small-Farmers-Outreach-Program/489644317781774?ref=hl
http://www.agrability.org/resources/frsan/
Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN)

Project Outcomes

3 Farmers changed or adopted a practice
Success stories:

We were always running short on pasture for our fiber herd in West Central Missouri; with regenerative practices we have found the value of using cover crops to strengthen our pastures and lengthen the grazing days on the same amount of land. We had fewer sick animals and cleaner water running through our property.

The year after the grant, there was a drought in Missouri and because we had been using regenerative practices for the grant our grass was green when the neighbors had no pasture. Plus we saw several species of birds that we had not noted before and a large dung beetle was observed for the first time.

 

Return to Project Overview
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.