(08) A comparison of an organic farm and a conventional farm in Alto, Tennessee

Many farmers in Alto, TN treat fields with nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides like 2-4-D to enhance their pastures and agricultural productivity. Others manage fields without the use of these chemicals and... [ view full abstract ]

Many farmers in Alto, TN treat fields with nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides like 2-4-D to enhance their pastures and agricultural productivity. Others manage fields without the use of these chemicals and instead rely on methods like bush-hogging as well as field and crop rotation to recycle nutrients and biomass. Soil and grass samples from one conventional farm and one organic farm in Alto, TN were analyzed to determine if there was any measurable difference in nutrient levels, soil health, number of insects, and overall field quality between the two pastures. During the Fall of 2017, 5 soil samples were collected from 5 different fields on the Stapleton farm. The number of earthworms found in each cup of sampled soil was counted. Forty cow patties from all 5 fields were analyzed to record the number of scavenger beetles (Sphaeridium lunatum) found under each patty. Six soil and grass samples from the Aybar farm were then collected and the number of earthworms found in each cup of sampled soil was recorded. Preliminary results indicate that each farm had different numbers of earthworms, and that soil chemical characteristics differed between the two farms as well.