Shepherds Grain Hard Red Winter 2009

This is HRW on the breaks above the Snake River, a reeeeeally dry area at times. The crop was just about to have permanent moisture stress damage when a very timely rain came. This crop is growing on soil groomed for increasing soil health. The ground had a shot of calcium carbonate ( lime) prior to a green manure crop in '08. The HRW was seeded with a small amount of "conventional" fertility (NPKS) and molasses for the soil biology, humic acid to increase nutrient efficiancy, and an enzyme that releases soil elements. The crop has been able to resist the moisture stress better than the neighbors conventional approach. This management is very different and far from perfected. It is something we have been working on for several years and beginning to show promise. Our idea is to feed the soil, make it healthy and in turn a healthy soil will result in a healthy food!