A HISTORY OF SOIL STEWARDSHIP This article, appeared in the January, 2000 edition of the "Top Crop Manager Magazine". Permission to use the article has been received from the editor, Peter Darbishire ._____________________ tr U ' PRODUCTION PROFILE A history of soil st©worclship * »«*ii. i Tum** On a centurv farm on Prince Edward Island , a father and two sons preserve the soil for the next generation. Bl.ur ,..«< Kevin Muchaac intend to pass Fanns along to their children in equal or better condition. Joaeph Machaac and his suns. Blair and Kevin , place a high priority on •oil stewardship. After all, the land thev farm near Bear River has been in the family for 125 years and it wouldn't still be supporting them if previous generations hadn't passed it down in good condition. As a result, the brothers who now share much of the operation of Farms intend to pass it to their children in equal or better condition than it is now. "We place a high priority on soil stewardship," says Kevin. "We try to build organic matter by plowing in our forage and we trade grain for manure with livestock producers to use on some of our land. Whatever we can do to maintain or build organic matter is impoltant because we get our best yield* off land with higher organic matter.' The Maclsaacs are relatively new to the potato industry, but what they may lack in experience they make up for in their focus on soil health. The (amity produced dairy and grain, but decided to begin growing potatoes in 1993. In 1998, they sold their livestock and began to grow field crops only. When they made the decision to get out of dairy, they also decided they needed to use best management practices from the beginning. In 1999, thev put 120 acres of Kusset Burtvnk potatoes in soil that is part of a four year rotation, which includes two years of hay. Most of the remaining TOP CROP MANAGER MAGAZINE/POTATOES IN (Spackil luuo) 2000 131