By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent FOREST, Ohio — Farmers need to be checking their soil health – even if it costs them their skivvies to do it. People in Ohio are having a lot of fun with the #SoilYourUndies social media hashtag; however, it is also a good way for farmers to investigate the biological activity in their fields. Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) around the state and across the country have been encouraging farmers to check soil activity in their this way. Sandra Springer, Western Lake Erie Basin soil technician with the Allen, Hardin and Putnam SWCD, will be giving a #SoilYourUndies demonstration at the Manure Science Review In Forest on July 25. She explained the effort. “I buried the underwear in the soil up to the waistline,” Springer said. “I left it there about eight weeks. I buried about six pairs in different types of fields – no-till corn and soybeans, some wheat ground, some alfalfa and hay fields. “Then I’m going to weigh them to compare. If you have a good activity in the soil, the microbes will deteriorate the cotton.” While the results of Springer’s comparisons will be a surprise, alfalfa fields came out on top in other demonstrations, meaning those underpants weighed the least after being exhumed. That was followed by no-till soybeans. Conventional corn had the heaviest cotton left, which means less microbial activity. “We’re pushing the farmers to do (this) just to get a better idea of what different ways they can help their soil,” Springer said. She will be encouraging farmers to buy new 100 percent men’s cotton underwear – no dyes or polyester blends – then dig a narrow trench and bury the underwear in the top 6 inches of soil. Leave a little of the waistband showing and mark the place with a flag so you can find it again. Leave the underwear buried for about two months. Dig it up carefully and wash in a bucket of water to remove the soil. Farmers should test similar soil types under different rotations and tillage management, Springer said. Keep track of each pair by writing an identifying number on the waistband. Be sure to bury all underwear being compared on the same day and for the same amount of time. The premise of this demonstration is the fact that soil microorganisms require carbon to survive. Men’s cotton briefs contain high amounts of carbon; therefore, decomposition of the briefs after they are retrieved provides a good indication of soil microbiological activity and, ultimately, soil health status. Glen Arnold, nutrient management field specialist with Ohio State University extension, said the #SoilYourUndies demonstrations are informative and often hilarious. “Those fields that have the best biological activity chew up the underwear pretty well,” he noted. The purpose of the Manure Science Review is to bring the opportunity for the most recent research to the farmers, Arnold said. The planners try to pick the most relevant topic and speakers. “In our Northwest area we have the Lake Erie issue,” he explained. “We had several manure spills that resulted in fish kills last fall. That drew the ire of agency people. “At the Manure Science Review, we offer a variety of things. We’ll also have equipment displayed, something farmers have read or hear about, they can see it up close.” The 2018 OSU Manure Science Review is scheduled at the Watkins farm located at 18361 Township Road 90, Forest, OH 45843, in Hardin County. The program will begin at 8:45 am, while registration, coffee and doughnuts will be offered in the morning starting at 8:15 before the field day kicks off, with afternoon activities ending by 3:30 p.m. The online form with additional information can be found at https://ocamm.osu.edu Online registration’s direct link is at http://go.osu.edu/msr2018 |
