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Belleville, Ontario | We sometimes see the same thing, but the concept is not as simple as new farm=awesome yields.
Some new farms have not seen a row crop for years, so there is less disease built into the soil for a specific crop like corn or soys.
Weed biodiversity in theory will increase the diversity of soil boita. We also ***try*** not to harvest the weeds and seed, so everything that is pulled up by the weed is put back down in an organic form.
I think part of the answer is these new farm situations stick out in our memory. There are lots of farms we have run for years that maybe don't stand out in our memories as having been a top 10% yield.
Unfortunately soil test levels are not the only indicator of a productive soil. I can think of a few fields that I have worked with that are balanced according to the fertility book, but never have been in the top 10% yield for the area. Soil tests are just the best we can do in a lab to mimic what we think the crop will have available to grow. Soil test is a great tool but not a perfect measurement of health, much like a blood test that a doctor takes.
My observations from behind the bench...
Coach
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New farms and surprisingly good yields.
