Operation Diversification:
A farm trial project to navigate the road to soil restoration
funded by Highlands Sustainable Agriculture Grant 2023-2024
Operation Diversification is taking place at
Provenance Farm
Whitehouse Station, NJ
Using Trial Plots comparative study can begin on how diversifying plants & livestock with planned disturbance can have a positive impact on soil health. The land has a history of varying degrees of chemical and
mechanical disturbance that can demonstrate the ability of the soil biology to restore the viability of soil and accelerate the productivity using animals.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA NJ) has supported and advocated for organic farming and local food systems in the Garden State since 1985. From technical support to educational programming and policy advocacy, our work is dynamic, community-focused, and has lasting impacts throughout the entire food system. NOFA NJ is one of seven NOFA Chapters with a 50+ year history of advocating for organic farming, local foodsystems, and ecological restoration.
360 Earth Works is a full circle approach to land care consulting, planning and practice. Since beginning in 2005, ecological landscape consulting grew into land restoration with the common goal of limiting the long-lasting impact of chemical and mechanical disturbance and its degrading impact on diversity above and now below ground. A new journey begins to uncover how the additions of bio available compost and minimal disturbance can demonstrate the ability of the soil biology to restore water infiltration and build organic matter .
Sustainable Land Management Practices:
The report emphasized the need for sustainable land management practices. This includes soil conservation, water management, and biodiversity protection. By adopting practices that maintain ecosystem health, farmers can contribute to the long-term sustainability of their land
The Council actively promotes innovative and alternative sustainable agriculture practices. By funding projects aligned with the goals of the Highlands Regional Master Plan (RMP), they encourage farmers to adopt practices that enhance profitability, stewardship, and coexistence with non-farmers in the densely populated state.
Promoting Innovative Practices:
The report called for continued research and innovation in sustainable agriculture. This involves exploring new crop varieties, improving pest management techniques, and developing climate-resilient farming practices. By staying informed and adopting cutting-edge approaches, farmers can adapt to changing conditions and enhance sustainability
Research and
Innovation:
CLICK HERE for the whole 2008 Highlands Council Sustainable Agriculture Report
Operation Diversification
Mission Statement
Operation Diversification is a regenerative farm trial that aims to awaken curiosity by engaging present and future farmers in new/old farming methods.
By experimenting with tried-and-true practices on small-scale regional farms, anyone can learn to restore the soil to its original state of function. When the soil works with the power of the sun, the water and mineral cycle, and the diversity of plants and animals, the following becomes a natural occurrence.
- solar energy is captured to store in soil through continuous cover when needed by roots, shoots, and grazing livestock
- natural reservoirs are recreated by infiltration and storage to increase plant vigor to mitigate pests and drought
- plants’ nutritional uptake from a ’bioavailable’ soil (microbes present) to save money on inputs
- carbon storage to mitigate extreme weather patterns from climate change
- natural habitats to improve pollination and pest management
The above outcomes will be ground-truthed here to empower farms of all sizes to increase their health and vitality while increasing their resilience to economic, social, and climatic change. Using adaptive grazing and comparison plots with compost applications, we can “wake up” soil viability.
Working with outreach and education from regional and national enterprises, that have proven the economic viability of this ‘new’ old way to farm . They will guide us through the farm trial process to share a farm stewardship model that can be replicated other farms elsewhere in New Jersey. Through this process, we will prove the potential to rebuild soil and simultaneously provide delicious and nutritious food for our customers in New Jersey.
WHY INVESTIGATE WHAT IS HAPPENING BELOW GROUND FURTHER?
Our mentors from Understanding AG the Soil Foodweb, and Farmers in the region have confirmed our individual experiences:
‘’Working with Mother Nature rather than against it“ is far more profitable for all!
This stewardship model builds patience and practice to reap the rewards of interdependence. It also fosters self-reliance, so no matter what comes from climate change, a compass will emerge from building these skills to guide you through the unforeseen twists and turns on this
dirt road to soil recovery.
From continued learning and, most importantly, failing forward,
our WHY is driven by the fuel: ‘We don’t know what we don’t know. '
Others encourage us to understand the value of observation and investigating further to understand that soil is barely alive. Having been unknowingly degraded to dirt, it now requires too many inputs. Nutrients are already in the soil but not yet available to plants and animals, which is WHY operation diversification was created.
Soil Results in Clean Water; Dirt Results in Problems
Rainfall
Water NOT held in soil pores, &
Moves Rapidly Through Soil
Dirt
No Organisms, No Structure
Nutrients Move with
the Water
Leaching, Erosion, and Run-Off are Problems
Water Moves Clay, Silt and
Inorganic Chemicals
NO “CLEANING” Process
DIRTY WATER
Organisms Build Structure
Nutrients Held
SoiL
Water is Retained in the Soil Pores and
Moves Slowly Through Soil
Clean Water
Farm Stewardship Modeling
Provenance Farm Trials within 160 acres of former cropland, pasture, and forest leased long term from Patron of Farming Stewards 55 Felmley LLC to foster education on importance of soil restoration thru various stewardship practices
WHERE & WHEN
Provenance Farm
8 trial plots
Riverside amidst diverse ecosystems with a history of farming
since 1933
- 28 ac. in hay
- 26 ac. in transition to pasture
- 48 ac. of forest
- 160 acres in total protected with an easement to NJCF
- At the foundation of Highlands Planning area in Tewksbury
- Initiated in Dec. 2023 thru Dec. 2024 eligible for continued development thru 2026.
HOW
SMALL FARM
CONTEXT
Practical application of Understanding AG’s
soil health principles
FOR HIGHLANDS GOALS
SOIL BIOLOGY TESTING- before/after trials to identify impact of past disturbance on water cycle, plant diversity, solar energy flow
FIELD SEEDING-
with different seed mixes and distribution methods to increase diversity and resilience with year-round coverage
ADAPTIVE GRAZING-
with different livestock to manage manure to restore fertility naturally
COMPOST INOCULANTS- Made from materials on hand for applications to jumpstart soil biology
SILVOPASTURE ASSESSMENT- For Livestock Invasive Mgmt. Potential
Our past and present CONTEXT
for
FUTURE PLANNED DISTURBANCE
to
ARMOR THE SOIL
with
A DIVERSITY OF LAND/PLANT/ANIMAL USE
to build
LIVING ROOTS
with both
LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION & COMPOST APPLICATIONS
principles of soil health
Founded by Understanding AG
adapted to NJ Small Farms
Integrate LivesTock OR APPLY COMPOST
identify PAST and PRESENT Context Before making a CHANGE
160 ac Farm 50:50 Field & Forest w/ 90 yrs history of conventional farming (tilling/haying) Baseline soil tests indicate barely life in soil
REDUCE SOIL DISTURBANCE
Mechanical and Chemical disturbance eliminate the soil’s natural ability to provide nutrients thru soil biology - Seed drilling, cover cropping, rotational grazing , strategic haying to minimize disturbance
Armor the Soil
Cover and build protection with plants at the surface to capture as much sunlight as possible to increase soil nutirents and sequester carbon
INCREASE biodiversity
Mixing a variety of plants, microbes, insect, livestock, and wildlife in different growing conditions (Fields, Silvopasture, Forests)
Continuous Living Roots
Increase variety of plants to optimize height, leaf area & volume that can adapt to weather extremes for four seasons of plant coverage
PLANNED DISTURBANCE
with different species of livestock manure cycling will jump start soil biology’s recovery. Bio-Available liquid compost on test strips have been known to provide same effect
Opportunities to join us in this learning process will unfold thru NOFA website as the season progresses
Practicing the soil health principles we will track how compounding and cascading effects of Soil Monitoring, Diverse Seeding, Adaptive Grazing and Liquid Compost applications can become positive milestones on the dirt road to soil restoration. Operation Diversification is immensely grateful for the opportunity the land stewards, partners, and funders
have provided!
Our teachers range from internationally recognized regenerative farmers and soil biologists to regional experts in pasture mgmt and soil health. They will lessen the steep learning curve to share with all interested in becoming part of the solution
rather than contributing to the symptoms of
a long, persistant problem.
We want to acknowledge the immesne resources informing this homepage:
Understanding Ag Elaine Ingham’s Soil Foodweb, Kathy Voth On Pasture .