We Are The Grim Reaper

Watch out plants - the Grossman Lab is coming......  When folks hear that we are the "Soil Agroecology Lab"  the first thought that comes to mind is usually our ability to grow plants.  While we can grow some things, man, we are good at killing them too!  With spring around the corner (yes, even after today's ice storm, we are thinking of spring) we are fast planning our next kill.  Whether we use the disk, the mower, or this roller crimper (see video - thanks Matt!!), we can't stop talking about "termination" or "kill".  We sound like mad, murderous scientists.

The video is in thanks to and a part of Matt Brown's research studying the many ways to kill cover crops.  Who wouldn't want to play with this roller crimper?

The Lab Goes Wild!

Greetings from the island of Dominica!  The Grossman lab seeks new adventures in the land of pirates!  Tony Kleese of Earth Wise Company invited us to soil sample on a historic coconut farm called Hampstead Estate.  While we here we are evaluating how to integrate cover crops on an organic farm in the tropics.  Mangoes, Pineapples, Bananas, Coconuts, and Rum - Oh My!  It's a rough job..... but somebody has to do it.

 

Calling all soil geeks:  These are Smectite rich soils.  Smectite is associated with the shrink swell clays common in the tropics.  There is no sticking the average soil probe down in there.

Old mango grove on Hampstead Estate.