Standard Process Inc.
Water Management (Part 2)
January 2006 News From The Farm SP News Article
Christine Mason,
Farm Manager
Last month, I discussed the importance of field tile in helping us achieve ideal water drainage. The installation of field tile is actually a very sophisticated process. A laser system or GPS technology ensures that field tile is installed to the correct grade. Tile lines are buried three to four feet under our ground at a grade of 10/100th per every 100 feet.
Once the field tile is properly installed, it will drain the water saturating an agricultural field. The water from field tile at the Standard Process Farm flows to a system of drainage ditches and eventually ends up in Prince's Point, a local wildlife area. We actively manage grass buffers between our fields and the drainage ditches. The large grass areas act as natural filters, or biocurtains, so that drainage water runs clear when it leaves this farm, and our soil stays in the fields where it belongs.
The Ohio State University and the USDA have compiled a list of tile drainage benefits. The list is quite extensive, but it includes points such as:
- Better soil aeration results from good drainage. Aeration permits deeper and more extensive root development as well as a more favorable environment for beneficial microorganisms and earthworms.
- Longer growing seasons can be achieved with good tile drainage due to earlier possible planting dates in the spring as well as later tillage dates in the fall.
- Soils warm up more quickly in the spring when standing water is removed. This is a huge benefit when you manage a farm just south of Santa.
- Certain disease organisms are removed from the soil when water does not stand. This is critical in organic production because fungicides are not an option.
- 125 drainage experiments conducted show substantial increased yield attributed to sub-surface tile drainage. Wheat, barley, peas, and oats had an increased yield of 76%, 72%, 62%, and 53%, respectively.
Field tile is not a cheap investment, but it is one clear way that Standard Process continues to assure the productivity of this farm for many years into the future.