Birch Lane, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador
The farm is owned and operated by Jim Purdy & Marge Goudie and is located east of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, on historical alluvial deposits of the Churchill River. The farm is a managed employing organic principles focusing on mixed vegetable farm with a small scale animal, mainly organic poultry, focus. 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 vegetable crops for about 3 years and then planted in brome hay and clover and minimally managed with annual mowing, for a period of another 9 years.
Factors:
- Crop: oat, pea or oat-pea mix
- Fertilizer: none, mineral fertilizer, shrimp compost, biomass incorporation
- Amendment: none, lime, peat, lime&peat
- A no crop, no fertilizer, no amendment treatment included in each block
- Reference sampling from adjacent natural areas sampled as relevant to the respective tested hypothesis/question