Thursday, April 10, 2014

Clemson Extension Research Farm

Today I returned to the Clemson Extension Research Center with my friend Madeline. We got the opportunity to see the cover crops and the wheat fully grown. We learned about the different research projects going on at the site as well. For example, we learned about the project they are doing with "Amy's Kitchen", which is an organic food company. It was interesting to hear about the different ways to receive grants for the program, which are given through the state and the federal government. We learned that the average grant they receive for a project is around $28,000, which covers a full-time field hand and the tools necessary for the study. 

In addition, we also learned about the crimson clover, which they were using as a cover crop. It was really pretty to see in the fields- we were told that they glean a couple hundred of pounds of the pink clovers, which are then shipped to other farms. 

Lastly, we learned a lot about nitrogen nodules- a major part of all healthy plants. These small nodules are visible on the roots of plants, and they produce a ton of nitrogen for the environment to use. 

Crimson Clover

Nitrogen Nodules

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Southern SARE Stories and Accomplishments

Southern SARE provides farmers, ranchers, and communities with financial backing to sustainable and innovative projects throughout the Southern regions. Southern SARE bridges the gap between farmers and buyers by funding a range of projects that improve farmers' ability to process, market, and deliver their products locally.
For example, Jonny Harris received grant money for crop cover research on his farm in Screvens, GA. "Georgia's soils are sandy and low in organic matter, which means they do a bad job in holding water and plant nutrients. In the trials, his soil's water- holding capacity has increased 15-20%, and soil organic matter has increased as much as 1%." In his trials, he planted 45 acre combinations of ryegrass, triticale, and crimson clover, followed by a cotton crop. As a result of planting a cover crop of ryegrass, his cotton yields amounted to 1,600 pounds of lint per acre. In comparison, he only had 1,100 pounds of lint per acre without the cover crop. Thanks to Southern SARE,  Jonny Harris found that forage cover crops improve soil health and provide high- quality hay for livestock.
To read more Southern SARE stories, use the following link to read 2013/2014 Report from the Field:
file:///C:/Users/Mina%20Rismani/Downloads/2013.2014_SARE_Report_from_the_Field.pdf