Taiga Valley, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador
Taiga Valley Farm (TVF) is owned and operated by Mr. Brian Davis. Taiga Valley Farms is an indigenous owned, primary agricultural producer, operating in the Labrador region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Labrador operation is a regenerative, diverse, mixed farm that is focusing on the development of a commercially viable and sustainable business. Located in boreal (taiga) ecosystem, TVF intends on working in harmony with the current natural ecosystem while proving that agriculture can be carried out in a way that enhances core ecosystem processes, supports the establishment and ongoing regeneration of soil and the living environment in which we operate. TVF intends on achieving carbon-negative status as soon as possible. TVF is also pursuing an EOV (Ecological Outcomes Verified) certification and considering other certifications that will contribute to the overall growth of the company.
Project: Biosoil North
The experimental site was converted from boreal forest for agricultural use in 2022. The soil is a Ferro-Humic Podzol, with low organic matter and low CEC. There is minor evidence in the soil profile of forest fires that occurred a couple of decades in the past. The experimental work is focusing on the evaluation of the most effective management protocol to bring the soil into production. Even after a single experimental season, it became obvious that there are locally relevant fertilization and soil amending choices that can be immediately implemented to allow for effective cropping.
While conversion created an obviously infertile soil, simple, locally relevant amendment/fertilizer treatments allowed for immediate productivity. The combination of biochar and fish meal has been shown to allow cropping in the first year after conversion.
Factors:
- Crop: oat, pea or oat-pea mix
- Fertilizer: none, mineral fertilizer, fish meal, biomass incorporation
- Amendment: none, lime, lime&peat, biochar
- 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