Download Plant & Soil - Colorado FFA

Section:
Plant & Soil Science
Unit: Soil Management
Lesson Title:
Organic Sources of Fertilizer
1
Organic Farming is…..
•Organic food and fertilizers are derived from
living organisms
•Or come from materials that are natural in origin
This causes debate over what really is organic and what is not a lot of fertilizers that
would be considered unnatural are derived from natural plants. Therefore several
agencies have been set up to determine their own standards of what
“organically produced” is.
2
WHAT DRIVES ORGANIC FARMING?
Environmental Awareness
People are more concerned about the environment
Diet and Health conscious people
People think organic foods are healthier for their diet
Declining cost of organic production
Increased demand has increased supply and lowered costs of
production but are still higher
Mainstreaming of organic consumers, products, and retailers
Once considered radical, now is considered the “in” thing
Worldwide organic standards
Now a producer can sell worldwide under one “organically
grown” label
Financial backing from investors
As demand increases investors now want part of the action
3
Sources of Organic Fertilizer
Animal Manure
•Must be managed correctly to control;
odor, bacteria, weed seeds
•Needs to be piled and allowed to COMPOST
Internal temps reach 140-210 degrees
to kill odor, bacteria and weed seeds
4
Sources of Organic Fertilizer
Cover Crops—Winter grasses or legumes
Planted following harvest
Cover crop over-winters and then is tilled under before
the next crop is planted
The cover crop decays and creates humus
Legumes are used to put nitrogen back into the soil
The next slide shows a video about Legumes
5
Legumes fix nitrogen movie
6
Sources of Organic Fertilizer
Composting
Creates fertilizer and recycles other waste
Leaves, grass clippings, and other plant materials are used
Items are piled to create anaerobic activity which breaks
down original matter
Humus is created, then spread as which helps with water
and nutrient holding capacity
7
Limitations of Organic Farming
•Organically grown foods are still more expensive then
conventionally grown foods
•Tend to be of lower quality foods and shorter shelf lives
•Plants create natural toxins for defense and toxin levels will be
higher then foods grown with pesticides
•Food spoilage is more harmful than pesticide use
•Manure used to fertilizer organic foods can contain e Coli
bacteria if not managed correctly
8
Limitations Continued
•Organic farming isn’t as efficient as conventional farming
More land would have to be cleared
This land would come from poor soils and probably
rainforest areas
•Organic Farming is still best suited for niche markets and small
scale farming—and this has created many positive markets for
farmers.
9