Soil Maps for Your Property

[smstonypoint]

Also, that their estimate of tonnage for apples that the orchard should produce is about half what is actually grown. I guess we aren't doing too badly for an orchard that has been in continuous production over 100 years.

Congratulations! Just curious -- do any of the original trees remain?

Steve

 

[forgeblast]

The soil map is also used to determine what type of payment for crep/crp programs. If you have better soil you will get more $$. I took a geology class, and they said that one of the guys who did the soil maps in our area would just go out walking with a soil probe, and sometimes on atv and travel all over.
Lot of work.

 

[California]

Also, that their estimate of tonnage for apples that the orchard should produce is about half what is actually grown. I guess we aren't doing too badly for an orchard that has been in continuous production over 100 years.

Congratulations! Just curious -- do any of the original trees remain?

Rainy day and I was bored. Here's probably more than you ever wanted to know!
Maybe somebody will find this interesting.

There are a few original Gravenstein apple trees in the orchard, about one in 20. They produce maybe 10% of the total tonnage.
Here's an ancient Gravenstein tree among replacement trees of various ages up in the more level part of the orchard.


Its a pretty random mix after a century of replacing individual trees as needed. Golden Delicious was the next fad after Gravenstein, for many years starting maybe 80 years ago, so many of the giant old trees are Golden Delicious planted as replacements. After that, semi-dwarf trees became popular because they produce as much fruit and are easier to work with, so the replacements over the past 50 years are smaller than the old-school originals.

More pix - Here are photos I've posted here previously that show some of the big trees in the background of whatever I was talking about in my post.
I'll just post links so I don't clutter up Steve's thread.

Note the pruning of dead limbs over many years, on the tree behind the tractor.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...4523073-3-pt-carryall-p00069rwateronforks.jpg

I think this is the same tree. Hollow, then used as a 'gopher palace' (birthing sanctuary). I find large nests of cut, dry grass underneath when I dig out stumps like this.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...7748-gophers-trees-p1020722rgophersintree.jpg

This tall Gravenstein behind the tractor had limbs dying, and fell down a couple of years after this photo.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ht-tools-dont-suck-p1050060rlumberpallet3.jpg

Removing that tree's large stump, and roots. The roots went out 10-20 ft at 8+ inches diameter so it took a lot of excavating.
(No I wasn't stuck! Just 'immobilized' for a moment until I figured out the backhoe was bearing the weight instead of the rear tires. Who needs 4 wheel drive? )
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...discovery-cold-start-p1570114r640digstump.jpg

Similar ancient tree, continues to be a heavy producer.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...45-center-gravity-786570-img_3824rorchard.jpg

I'm up picking the top of a full size ancient tree. I think this one is Golden Delicious.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ladder-treatment-p1040280rladders-14-10ft.jpg

This row is about where the USDA soil map transitions from Class 4e (good soil but limited by substantial potential for erosion) to class 6e (limited ag use, because of high potential for erosion). Many of the trees down here are ancient.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...le-nursery-stock-p1050082rorchardnovember.jpg

Ancient Gravensteins down in back where it is steep. All like this are hollow, but most are still in good condition and producing well. We have left blackberry jungle on the faces of each terrace to reduce erosion. Here's Younger Daughter picking wild blackberries. I subsequently tore a lot of vines out of the overgrown and abandoned trees using the backhoe. When I was a kid heavy herbicides were used here and these slopes were bare. I don't know why they didn't all slide down.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ade-blackberry-rake-p1120720rshpickberies.jpg
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ly-broke-something-p1210561rclearbbbushes.jpg

More pix that include old trees from various threads I've posted here.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...o-small-pulling-p1170355rpulltanktrailer2.jpg
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...actorin-did-you-625565-img_3089r2-haullog.jpg
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...el-carrier-golf-bag-p1030489rgolftractor2.jpg

Modern semi-dwarf Golden Delicious.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...orite-farm-name-p1140152rgolddeltoharvest.jpg

Finally - its steep down in back. The row on the far left is the last row in production. The row in the center and two more to the right were abandoned years ago to blackberries and deer. I disc the first abandoned terrace every few years so we can walk in there and pick wild blackberries. It soon reverts to jungle.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...spacing-rear-wheel-p1520716rlowerterrace1.jpg
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...t-additions-your-tractor-435269-dscn4555r.jpg
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...lovebox-465009-tractorinbramblesdscn4593r.jpg

 

[The Haymaker]

All the tax money spent on data acquisition and presentation told me exactly what I already knew. Impossibly dead sand on one side and mud on the other.

 

[smstonypoint]

Rainy day and I was bored. Here's probably more than you ever wanted to know!
Maybe somebody will find this interesting.

I did! Thanks for posting the links. It looks like owning & operating an apple orchard is a full-time job, although not quite like operating a dairy.

Steve

 

[California]

told me exactly what I already knew. Impossibly dead sand on one side and mud on the other.

What the heck can you grow on that ...... clams?

 

[California]

Thanks for posting the links. It looks like owning & operating an apple orchard is a full-time job, although not quite like operating a dairy.

Steve

Thanks Steve.

Actually my neighbor operates this and a couple other small orchards together with his larger orchard to get up to an economically rational scale. He spends a few days here per year completing the prune/burn/spray/disc/prop/harvest processes quickly, with bigger, efficient equipment and a large crew.

I do the smaller tasks he never has time for - examples are the mowing in the first photo, digging out stumps, and now a lot of time digging out blackberry bushes with the backhoe after the conversion to organic. Plus carrying water to new replacement trees in random locations all over the place. (photo with garbage cans on the back carrier). I have to admit, my role is closer to hobby farming than running a commercial operation myself. I can't imagine the 24/7 responsibilty of operating a dairy!

 

[smstonypoint]

I have to admit, my role is closer to hobby farming than running a commercial operation myself. I can't imagine the 24/7 responsibilty of operating a dairy!

I grew up on a small dairy farm -- we never milked more than 10 or so cows at a time. My dad was a self-employed carpenter, so I inherited the milking chores when I became of age. I have fond memories of my childhood, but getting up at 4:30 am every day isn't one of them.

Steve

 

[KWentling]

My brother did soil mapping in Nebraska back in the mid 70's. He had a half ton pickup with a power operated soil probe and also used hand probes where he couldn't drive. Like was said, lots of exercise. I'm sure what is done now days is more way accurate with GPS to locate position, etc. I think they used geologic/topography features a lot to locate changes in soils.

Kim