FIELD CROPS
Winchelsea Farms Inc. and Against the Grain Farms Inc. are owned and operated by Tony & Shelley Spruit (Ontario, Canada). They grow 250 acres of grain and corn crops with a focus on heritage and ancient grains and corn for the human consumption market.
To learn more about organic soil amendments and increasing field crop productivity, Tony did multi-year trials using Huplaso (Fast Release) on barley, soybean, and dried beans. Since many variables can affect trials, Tony feels it’s imperative to get a true assessment of Huplaso’s field crop potential.
First year trial using Huplaso Fast Release on soybean plots versus replicate plots did not show any significant difference. However, the first-year trial using Huplaso Fast Release in conjunction with equal amounts of black carbon applied directly into trench with dried bean seed saw tremendous benefits, including: root formation, seed production, crop yield, drought resistance and early frost tolerance.
A new trial in 2021 with the same application rates of Huplaso mineralizer in different types of soil and with different seed types is then done the following year. This is the 2nd year of testing Huplaso Fast Release mineralizer on a small grain field. The yield was low due to 7 weeks of drought, but the quality of the harvested grain was excellent.
This trial will be repeated in the same year with the same application rates and with the same variety of grain.
On-farm trials show the potential of applying Huplaso in combination with other organic materials for long-term soil improvement and repair. Huplaso offers environmentally friendly fertilizer options for farmers looking to improve degraded soils and improve field crop production. Tony feels it is important as a farmer to be actively involved in expanding research efforts to learn more about the potential of Huplaso products. It allows a more holistic approach to agriculture.
