Doug Weatherbee and Craig Sponholtz present unique information on sustainable erosion control, generating and using compost tea to innoculate the land and restore microbial health.
1. Bringing Life Back to Your Land
moisture, microbes, and climate change
Craig Sponholtz
DrylandSolutions.com
Doug Weatherbee
SoilDoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
10. Field Prep:!
Rainwater Harvesting Contour
Swales(ditches)
Date:!
June 16-19, 2009
Note:!
Field compacted because of
excavator use
May June
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
17. Rainfall:! Very dry rainy season
2008 July:! 7.5 inches
2009 July:! 3.8 inches
Buffering:! Soil structure and humus
increase raised water holding capacity
plus rainwater harvesting swales
Date:!! July 10, 2009
May June July
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
19. Informal Control:! Photographic
! ! ! ! Comparison with
! ! ! ! local non-treated
! ! ! ! organic corn field
! ! ! ! planted on same
! ! ! ! date
Date:!! ! ! August 5, 2009
May June July Aug
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
23. Stalk Growth:!
5% corn kernels have 4 stalks
65-70% have 3 stalks
20-25% have 1 or 2 stalks
Date:!
August 5, 2009
May June July Aug
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
25. Pests:
Biologically treated stalk = very
few worm bores, no pesticide
sprays used.
Non-biologically = manu worm
bores, lots of fields usin pesticide
sprays
Date:
August, 2009
May June July Aug
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
27. Informal Control:
Photographic Comparison with
local non-treated organic corn
field planted on same date
Date:
Sept 14-18 2009
May June July Aug Sept
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
28. Non-treated Organic
Corn
Soil Doctor biologically
treated Organic Corn
2009, Mexico, worst drought in 6 decades
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
113. Dry Season Rainy Season Dry Season
approxlevelofmicrobialactivity
Microbial Activity
Water/Microbes AND Microbes/Water
Concept from http://soils.usda.gov/SQI/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
114. Depthbelowsurface
Increasing Microbial Biomass
Microbial Biomass Decreases with Depth
Concept from http://soils.usda.gov/SQI/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html
Doug Weatherbee
soildoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
178. How do we
bring moisture
back to land?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
179. 1.Protect and expand moisture storing areas of
the landscape (enhance the Sweet Spots).
2.Stabilize active erosion and prevent further
degradation.
3.Restore dispersed flow and increase
infiltration at every opportunity.
4.Cultivate restorative plant communities and
build biologically active soils.
5.Create site-specific solutions using natural
forms and processes.
Guiding Principles for Bringing
Moisture Back to the Land
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
180. Where are the Sweet Spots?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
181. …Anywhere that runoff slows enough to infiltrate and build soil.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
182. …Anywhere that runoff slows enough to infiltrate and build soil.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
183. …Anywhere that runoff slows enough to infiltrate and build soil.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
184. Deposition of Silt, Clay and Organic Matter
sets the stage for moisture storage.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
200. Roads are a Runoff Resource that
should be used to create Sweet Spots
Rolling Dip
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
201. Roads are a Runoff Resource that
should be used to create Sweet Spots
Rolling Dip
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
202. Roads are a Runoff Resource that
should be used to create Sweet Spots
Rolling Dip
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
203. Roads are a Runoff Resource that
should be used to create Sweet Spots
Rolling Dip
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
204. Dryland farm fields were once common in the southwest,
a search of aerial photographs reveals many abandoned fields.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
205. …natural reservoirs of soil nutrients and moisture.
Many are found on alluvial fans…
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
206. Ojo Encino Navajo Chapter Floodwater Farming Project
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
207. Ojo Encino Floodwater Farming Project:
A modern twist on an
ancient practiceRestoring the function of alluvial fans to bring life back to abandoned
farm fields
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
241. Bringing Life Back to Your Land
moisture, microbes, and climate change
Craig Sponholtz
DrylandSolutions.com
Doug Weatherbee
SoilDoctor.org
Wednesday, November 10, 2010