The farm is owned and operated by Jim Purdy and Marge Goudie and is located east of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, on historical alluvial deposits of the Churchill River. It is a mixed vegetable farm managed on organic principles, with a small-scale animal focus (mainly organic poultry). The soil has developed under standard podzolization and reflects the available organic matter (dominantly Humo-Ferric Podzols). The test area was converted from forest to agricultural land use over the last 12 years (statement valid in 2024).

Project: BioSoil North

Three experimental blocks have been established on the southernmost portion of the farm. At conversion, forest biomass was partially mulched, burned and, with the LFH horizon, incorporated into the underlying mineral layers. Following conversion, the field used for the experiment was cropped for vegetables for about 3 years, then planted in brome hay and clover and minimally managed with annual mowing for another 9 years.

Factors:

• Crop: oat, pea or oat-pea mix
• Fertilizer: none, mineral fertilizer, shrimp compost, biomass incorporation
• Amendment: none, lime, peat, lime and peat
• A no-crop, no-fertilizer, no-amendment treatment is included in each block
• Reference sampling from adjacent natural areas, as relevant to the tested hypothesis