Solvita Blog
Pilgrimage for Soil Quality on Spain’s El Camino Trail
Solvita CO2-Burst and Solvita SLAN soil quality results of El Camino de Santiago The "El Camino de Santiago" trail is known to adventurers and Christian pilgrims who traverse this path from France into north-western Spain. Along the way, one experiences the striking,...
Farmers “Growing Soil” with Cover Crops and Reduced Tillage.
top: Farmers, crop consultants and researchers gathered at each of 2 meetings in PA and ME; left to right: John Chibirka, USDA-NRCS PA | Brendon Rockey, Rockey Farm, CO | Ray Archuleta, USDA-NRCS NC | Will Brinton, Woodsendlab/Solvita, ME | Jay Fuhrer, USDS-NRCS ND...
Solvita Performance: Promising Progress with Commercial Soil Labs
We compared ALP Soil Lab proficiency results to our own for the same set of soils. The high correlation (p<0.001) indicates the labs are testing the same population. Solvita is used by many commercial soil labs and several labs are now being tracked by independent...
Solvita SLAN Test Shows Secrets of the Soil
A new soil test from Solvita called SLAN reveals a hidden pool of organic nitrogen that is “just beneath the surface, and seems indicative of soil improvement”, says developer Will Brinton. The SLAN test like the Solvita CO2-test takes only minutes to set up and is...
Careless soil testing, excessive fertilization, paving way for regulations on nutrients
A NOAA Captured image of Lake Erie in 2011 shows the massive algal blooms from nutrient loads - the worst in 10-years The practice of fertilizing soils based on hoped-for crop yields while ignoring nutrients already present in the soil or about to be...
From “Tillage Alcoholism” to Soil Health – Workshop Draws Hundreds
Soil Health is a new paradigm in no-till farming, and very evidently a fast-growing grassroots movement that "threatens" to unite all farmers. Attendees at a farm workshop in Carrol, Ohio said they wished the movement will be recognized not only by no-tillers but...
Compost Maturity: Solvita gives same information as Infrared Equipment
COMPOST MATURITY Comparison of Solvita to Oxymax IR data on CO2 Rates Over Time A recent research project conducted at Woods End shows that the simple-to-perform Solvita test for compost gives essentially identical information about compost aging as does more...
New Solvita Model 700 DCR improves soil CO2 respiration monitoring
Soil CO2 Respiration Monitoring CO2 Emissions are readily measured directly in the field with a Solvita CO2-Probe inside an aluminum chamber, covered to prevent CO2 loss or heat-gain from sunlight. Woods End announced the release of its new Model 700 Solvita DCR which...
Horse farms are scenic, but not reusing their own manure (chemical residues).
Horse manure contains herbicide residue Horse farms are considered the most scenic of estates, but most don't reuse their own manure which contains herbicide residues but put it out for disposal (collection by composters and avid gardeners). This is where the residue...
Solvita helping spread word of soil biology to labs, farmers.
Farmers across America have increasing access to soil biology testing thanks in part to Solvita. Presently more than 40 soil labs* now offer Solvita CO2 Respiration as part of their services. Many of these lab are also reporting Solvita data in the ALP program. "The...
Soil Health: Amendments affect Whole Plant Morphology, Not just Yield
Studies of plant root growth in soils treated with amendments of varying chemical and biological stability reveal that plants respond in a more complex and holistic fashion than customarily believed. Brinton’s team at Woods End has been using root (rhizotron)...
Compost industry stability tests lack relevancy for soil building projects.
The compost industry may be promoting stability and maturity tests for compost that are neither current with published science nor consistent with emerging soil markets,- this in a new report by Woods End Labs presented to Sustainable Sites Initiative. The report...