Caithness Soil and Nutrient Network: 2nd Meeting – Event Summary
12 September 2017
Know your soil – structure and nutrient status
The Caithness Soil & Nutrient Network group met during September at the host farm – Knockglass Farm by the kind permission of R & A Mackintosh, who explained their current liming and fertiliser use and gave a background to the farm and their purchase of the land three years ago.
Soil specialist Bill Crooks led a very engaged group through lime nutrients and soil structure in a building on the host farm. Excellent discussion ensued and this only increased with a visit to three of the field on Knockglass where Bill dug soil pits and assessed each with the group.
Knockglass farm is one of 12 host farms for the Soil & Nutrient Network. You can read more about Knockglass Farm in the Case Study, and learn more about previous host farmers from the Farming & Water Scotland webpage.
- Valuing Your Soils – Practical Guidance for Scottish Farmers
- This brochure includes useful information about Scotland's agricultural soils and practical advice outlining the upfront financial savings and business benefits of better soil management and the efficient use of resources. Action and problem-specific 'field-sheets' are designed for busy farmers with limited time for reading.
- Topics: Soils, Climate Change, Water Management and Crops and Soils
- Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) Score Chart
- This is a downloadable copy of the Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) score chart for use in-field.
- Topics: Soils
- Technical Note (TN656): Soil Information, Texture & Liming Recommendations
- • Web based access to information on your soils on your farm is described. • Soil texture classes of mineral soils are described and identified by hand texturing. • Liming recommendations for different soils and managements are tabulated.
- Topics: Soils
- Farming For A Better Climate: Practical Guide – Improving Soil Quality
- This Practical Guide concentrates on how we can improve soil quality to help us to adapt to climate change.
- Topics: Soils
- Farming For A Better Climate: Practical Guide – Soil Management
- Topics: Soils
- Farming For a Better Climate: Practical Guide on Optimising Organic Nitrogen
- This Farming For a Better Climate document was included as part of the delegate pack for those who attended the FAS event 'Waste more, fert. less!'.
- Topics: Climate Change
- Practical Guide: Managing Soil Phosphorus
- This Practical Guide will help you manage the phosphorus in your soils. It will help you understand the risk of phosphorus pollution and how you can reduce bagged fertiliser costs in grassland by incorporating nitrogen fixing clover into your sward.
- Topics: Soils, Climate Change and Water Management
- Practical Guide: Soil sampling I – How to take a soil sample
- This practical guide details what is required to take a soil sample for analysis that is representative of the area sampled.
- Topics: Climate Change, Soils and Water Management
- Practical Guide: Soil sampling II – Benefits to your business
- This practical guide details how soil sampling can benefit businesses by increasing productivity and create efficiencies on fertiliser inputs through better nutrient planning.
- Topics: Soils, Climate Change and Water Management
- Practical Guide: Nutrient budgeting I – The Benefits to your Business
- This practical guide looks at the benefits of creating and using a nutrient budget for your farm business.
- Topics: Climate Change
- Practical Guide: Nutrient Budgeting II – Getting Started
- This practical guide looks at what factors you need to consider when making a nutrient budget for your farm, fertiliser recommendations and how to get the most out of your nutrient budget.
- Topics: Climate Change
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