HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-11-29, Page 8Sod production
There is growing; public
ern about the amount of
valuable farm land being
Bobbled up by urban wan -
slot'. Not only do cities annex
land by the acre for housing,
developments and highways,,
1
but they also buy it by the
square yard to cover these
new suburbs and transporta-
tion, corridors with a carpet of
green grass.
Sod production has expan-
ded rapidly in the past few
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flSe1'V€*:I more t
years, on .the heels of the
construction industry expan-
sion. There are now some.
25,000 acres of Ontario crop-
land devoted to the produc-
tion of nursery sod with an
estimated annual sale at the
farm of 15 million dollars.
While its 'product is still
growing in demand, the
sod -farming industry itself
has fallen into disfavour with
some of those, individuals
most concerned -about our
non-renewable heritage of
soil for food production. Each
sod crop harvested removes
a thin layer of topsoil, and
some critics fear this pro-
cedure may eventually de-
plete the land beyond re-
clamation.
The concern is jusitifiable,
says University of Guelph
professor R. W. Sheard, but
the argument needs evidence
of the exact amount of soil
removed during harvest, as
well as an understanding of
the effects of sod production
on root development, erosion
Put the bite
on nutrition
control and fertility levels of
the soil, Prof. Sheard .recent-
ly evaluated these effects in .a
study of "Son 1V1odification
During Nursery .Sod Produc-
tion". The study involved
sampling on eight different
Ontario .farms, chosen to
provide the range of soil
characteristics prevalent in
the sod -farming industry.
Measurements on the
eight sod- farms chosen for
Prof. Sheard's study reveal-
ed the average depth -of soil
removed during sod harvest-
ing was 9.4 ,mm per harvest
along with an 8.5 mm thatch
layer of roots. Many people
mistake the latter for soil and
thus grossly overestimate the
depth of soil removed. Nur-
sery sod is routinely harvest-
ed every two and a half
years. A sod farm with an
average topsoil depth of
25cm would theoretically
have a life of 50 years.
The depth of topsoil, how-
ever, is not a finite indicator
of the number of harvests
that can be removed,- says.
Prof. Shead. This simplistic
view does not consider the
continual mixing of topsoil
with subsoil as the farmer
plows deeper into the subsoil
layer following each harvest.
Sod production will indeed
change the character of the
soil in 50 years' time, he
says, but not as a simple
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stripping -off of .the entire
topsoil layer, says the Uni-
versity - of Guelph scientist.
Such a mixing of the
subsoil and topsoil layers
takes place in any type of
agricultural production
wheretopsoil is being re-
moved, whether through the
harvest of nursery sod or by
water erosion in a corn field.
It is also a major result of
surface mining operations
and construction projects
'.which dig into the subsoil
layer. Every time a new
hydro line is installed, a
sewer and water line is laid,
or excavation for a new
building ;is made or a road-
way constructed, the soil
layers are mixed.
The question of mixing of
soil layers is one area where
there is room for further
study, notes Prof. Sheard.
"We do not know how much
subsoil can be mixed with the
topsoil layer without serious-
ly damaging productivity,"
although greenhouse experi-
ments at University of Gu-
elph illustrated that unless
compensating levels of fertil:
izer were applied, decreased
growth of barley would occur
as the amount of subsoil
incorporation • increased.
When the fertility of the soil
was adjusted, however, there
was no depression in growth
with an increasing percent-
age of subsoil. In actual prac-
tice, the sod farmer's use of
fertilizer would' increase so
gradually as to be almost
unnoticeable.
The soil modification study
toil
also included a chemical
analysis of the soil on the
eight farms which failed to
show any ., important- differ-
ences, between the sod and
non -sod fields. Sod produc-
tion does not increase the
organic matter in thee soil as
much .as long-term pasture.
Sod harvesting removes the
largest ' concentration of
roots and subsoil incorpora-
tion tends to reduce the
concentration of the organic
'matter. .
One of the biggest advan-
tages of sod production isin
the prevention of water ero-
sion.. Previously published
literature . says that erosion
may be reduced from a.. level
of .7.78 mm per year with
continous corn to 0.02 per
year a with bluegrass. The
University of, Guelph study
estimates erosion losses on
the eight farms to average
0.006 to 0.37 mm per year,
depending on the harvesting
and plowing dates. Compar-
ative estimates for the same
fields producing corn would
be 0.03 to 0.94 mm per year,
lower than those reported in
the literature because of the
generally level topography
associated with sod farming.
Erosion prevention by sod-
ding is a major reason why
the crop is in such demand
by the landscape and con-
struction industries. Laying
sod on waterways and: rad -
side banks or even on au front
lawn, is a quick way to
prevent water erosion and
reduce the sediment load
Toronto Stock
Yard Report,
Receipts at the Ontario
Stockyards for last week
were cattle, 10,750; calves,
2,725; hogs, 6,200 and
sheep, 1,379.
Choice steers traded
steady with quality and finish
considered. Choice "heifers.
traded higher with some
loads of crossbreds, trading
$66 to $68.50 cwt. Cows were
$2/cwt lower due to lack of
out of town buyers.
There was a good selection
of both Western and Ontario
stockers and feeders this
week. Short -keeps weighing.
800# and up sold from $65 to
$75 with sales to $78.50/cwt.
Yearling steers weighing
500-800# sold from $70 - $80
with sales to $83 per cwt.
Western steer calves $85 to
$95 with . , sales to $102.
Ontario steer calves from $75
to $82 with sales to $89.
Yearling and short -keep heif-
CORN
ALFALFA
SORGHUM
ers sold from $54 to $62 with
sales to $68 and Western and
Ontario heifer calves were
selling from $74 to $84 with
sales. to $91.50/cwt.'
Veal sold firm. Choice veal
sold from $80 to $90 with top
choice to $100. Good calves
to 200 to 300 lbs. sold from
$70 to $80, 400'to 500# calves
sold from $65 to $75, 500 to
750# calves traded from $50
to $60/cwt. (''lain, heavy and
light calves sold from $35 to
$50.
The lamb trade was high-
er. Good handyweight lambs
sold from $73 to $78 with
sales to $82. Light Iambs
were selling from $80 to $95
with sales to $106. Sheep are
selling from $28 to $40 with
sales to $45. Heavy fat sheep
went for $20 to $25.
Price range on hogs was
from $75.55 - $78.15.
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