Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening

Soil Tests and Amendments

Unit 1.11 | 35
Demonstration 3

Demonstration 3: Nitrogen Budgeting

for the instructor

Overview

This demonstration offers an

example of how a simple nitrogen

budget can be calculated for an

organic farm or garden. Using the

nitrogen budgeting worksheets

and the Demonstration Outline

below, discuss and demonstrate the

process of calculating an estimated

nitrogen budget for a farm, factoring

estimated nitrogen release (ENR)

from compost, cover crops, and

existing soil organic matter. For

this exercise, appendix 3 (Nitrogen

Budgeting Exercise) includes an

example of the steps involved in

calculating a basic nitrogen budget.

Following this demonstration,

students should be given the Hands-

On Exercise.

PreParatiOn and MateriaLs

•    Appendix   3,  Example of  a   Nitrogen    Budget

•    Appendix   9,  Approximate Pounds/Acre of  Nutrients   

Removed by Common Crops

•    Sample soil    test    report

•    Overhead   projector   

•    Pen    for writing on  overhead    transparency    film

PreParatiOn tiMe

0.5 hour

deMOnstratiOn tiMe

1 hour