[Terrapreta] charcoal experiment plots

[Richard Haard]

Terrapreta list readers -

We spread the treatment combinations today and rototilled the plots  
that are now ready for planting in a day or 2. Twenty six plots all  
together plus 1 more Larry will be putting in place in about 2 weeks.
All in a 4 foot by 500 foot long experimental bed within our regular  
bareroot production seedbeds. We will crop this experimental set  
twice. This year with Swiss Chard,  a native aster, and black  
twinberry (Lonicera involucrata). All are very demanding for  
nutrients and aggressive growers. After harvest with a lifter-shaker  
in early November the entire bed will be winter sown with seed, most  
likely Indian plum (Oemleria cerasiformis), which is an ecological  
indicator for nitrogen rich soils and for a second crop without  
additional fertilizer or organic matter.

Here is the link to my flickr charcoal/farming  file if you would  
like to browse thru the full set of images

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/sets/72157594444994347

Here are links to the most recent images that pretty well tell the  
story of our work today setting up these research plots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/487548029/in/set-72157594444994347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/487548005/in/set-72157594444994347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/487547953/in/set-72157594444994347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/487547905/in/set-72157594444994347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/487547903/in/set-72157594444994347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/487547913/in/set-72157594444994347/

Rich Haard and Larry Williams at Fourth Corner Nurseries, Bellingham,  
Washington