Progress report for FW23-425

FW23-425 (project overview)

Project Type: Farmer/Rancher

Funds awarded in 2023: $24,296.00

Projected End Date: 12/31/2025

Host Institution Award ID: G246-23-W9982

Grant Recipient: Lazy Acres Farm

Region: Western

State: Oregon

Principal Investigator:

Beth Portesi

Lazy Acres Farm

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Project Information

Summary:

There is an increasing trend of small-scale farmers utilizing season extension methods to prolong their growing season and protect their crops from unpredictable weather patterns, especially with the impacts of climate change. However, farmers and researchers have found that using season extension methods can have negative consequences for soil health. Frequent tillage is a method used in conjunction with crop production in high tunnels and low tunnels. Experts and farmers are calling for further research and sustainable management practices when utilizing season extension methods.

Can using no-till practices in conjunction with season extension methods be an alternative management strategy for small farmers?

We will:

Determine if using no-till practices in high tunnels or low tunnels has a measurable impact on soil health by performing soil tests.
Determine if plastic mulch in conjunction with no-till practices has a measurable impact on soil health.
Compare crop production and correlation of soil health in high tunnels and low tunnels using no-till methods against outdoor control.
Produce an educational video series and host a farm demonstration day to share project findings and facilitate practical knowledge exchange on the outcomes of season extension methods and plastic mulch in conjunction with no-till on soil health.

Project Objectives:

Determine if no-till practices have a measurable impact on soil health in high tunnels or low tunnels by:
1. Measuring diversity and quantity of soil biology using soil tests. Tests will be performed at beginning of the season, middle of the season, and end of the season.
  (Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil)
  (Year 1-1.5)
Determine if plastic mulch has a measurable impact on soil health in high tunnels and low tunnels using no-till practices by:
1. Measuring diversity and quantity of soil biology using soil tests. Tests will be performed at beginning of the season, middle of the season, and end of the season.
  (Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil)
  (Year 1-1.5)
Compare crop production and correlation of soil health in high tunnels and low tunnels using no-till methods against outdoor control by
1. Measuring yield by weight
  (Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil)
  (Year 1-1.5)
Produce an educational video series and host a farm demonstration to share project findings and facilitate practical knowledge exchange on the outcomes of season extension methods and plastic mulch on soil health.
(Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil, Maud Powell)
(Year 1-1.5)

Timeline:

Date	Activities	Team Members
September 2023	Conducted team kick-off call.	Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil, Maud Powell
September 2023	Get baseline soil test. Construct high tunnel and low tunnel.	Casey Ameil
October 2023	Overwintered previous seasons crops as a cover crop.	Casey Ameil
November - January 2024	Monitored cover crop growth.	Casey Ameil
February - March 2024	In the process of cutting cover crop and covering with occultation tarps to decompose. First soil test will be taken this month (March 2024).	Casey Ameil
April 2024	Apply compost and organic fertilizer to beds. Lay down plastic mulch on specific beds.	Casey Ameil
April - June 2024	Transplant, grow and harvest lettuce.	Casey Ameil
June - August 2024	Transplant, grow and harvest lettuce. Mid season soil test (July 15th)	Casey Ameil
August - October 2024	Transplant, grow and harvest lettuce.	Casey Ameil
End of October 2024	Get final soil test.	Casey Ameil
October - November 2024	Conduct team call to discuss findings.	Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil, Maud Powell
November 2024-December 2024	Produce educational video series. Week 1 - SCRIPT WRITING & PRE-PRODUCTION Week 3 - VIDEO SHOOT Week 5 - 1ST CUT & REVISION PHASE Week 6 - FINAL CUT	Beth Portesi, Nick Alexander Films
November 2024	Produce PowerPoint.	Beth Portesi
November 2024 - December 2024	Host farm demonstration day.	Beth Portesi, Casey Ameil, Maud Powell
December 2024	Prepare final report.	Beth Portesi

Cooperators

Click linked name(s) to expand/collapse or show everyone's info

Maud Powell - Technical Advisor
Maud.Powell@oregonstate.edu
Associate Professor of Practice, OSU Small Farms
Oregon State University, Southern Oregon Research & Extension Ce (Other college or university)
569 Hanley Road
Central Point, OR 97502

Research

Materials and methods:

Determine if season extension methods have a measurable impact on soil health using no-till practices.
1. To achieve this objective the prior seasons crops were left in the beds and overwintered as a cover crop. The cover crop will be cut and tarped in March of 2024. The beds will then be continuously planted with multiple successions of lettuce in permanent no-till beds in a high tunnel, outdoors under Agribon AG-19 low tunnels and outdoors with no type of season extension as a control. We chose lettuce because it is one of the most commonly grown crops by small farmers due to its high demand.
  1. The high tunnel is currently in the process of being built and will be finished by April 2024. The low tunnel will be put in place when lettuce is transplanted in April.
  2. The prior seasons crops were overwintered as a cover crop. They will be cut in March 2024 and covered by occultation tarps to decompose.
  3. All beds will receive the same inputs of compost and organic fertilizer at the beginning of the season.
  4. Beds will continually be transplanted with lettuce from April through October.
  5. All beds will receive the same amount of water through drip irrigation. All beds will also have misters for a cooling effect during the summer.
  6. During the summer 50% shade cloth will be placed over the high tunnel and will also replace the Agribon row cover on the low tunnels. Insect netting will be used as needed to protect crops.
2. The soil will be tested by the Oregon State University Soil Health Lab at the beginning of the growing season, midway through the growing season, and at the end of the growing season.
3. The following soil health indicators will be used:
  1. Biological:
    1. microbial biomass
    2. active carbon
    3. organic matter
    4. microbial respiration
  2. Physical:
    1. wet aggregate stability
    2. texture
  3. Chemical:
    1. PH
    2. macronutrients
    3. micronutrients
    4. total carbon and nitrogen
    5. electrical conductivity
  4. Crop yield
    1. Total harvest weight from each bed will be recorded over the course of the season.
4. After all three soil tests are completed we will review the results.
Determine if plastic mulch used in conjunction with high tunnels and low tunnels has a measurable impact on soil health using no-till practices.
1. To achieve this objective lettuce will continually be grown on one permanent no-till bed with plastic mulch and one permanent no-till bed without plastic mulch. There will be one of each bed in a high tunnel, outdoors under low tunnels, and outdoors with no type of season extension as a control.
2. The same procedures and soil health indicators as the above objective will be followed.

Participation Summary

Research Outcomes

No research outcomes

Education and Outreach

Participation Summary:

Education and outreach methods and analyses:

The education and outreach component will be completed at the end of our research once we are able to collect data and analyze it.

Education and outreach results:

N/A

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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.