Zimmer Brings Soil Biology Message to Lancaster County
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 2:30pm.
Joyce Zimmerman
Southeastern Pa. Correspondent
NEW HOLLAND, Pa. — Gary Zimmer, dairy nutritionist and soil expert, spoke at a biological farming conference sponsored by Midwestern Bio-Ag here recently at Yoder’s Restaurant in eastern Lancaster County.
Midwestern Bio-Ag, Blue Mounds, Wis., is a biologically-based consulting company that helps farmers make profitable management decisions about soil fertility.
“All dairy nutritionists are the same. They come to your farm, punch numbers in their computers, and come up with a cheaper ration.” Zimmer said. “I want to know what they put in and what they took out to make it cheaper.”
“Dairy nutrition starts with the soil,” said Zimmer. “I took dairy nutrition to the field. The basic foundation and top priority for everything that happens on your farm is the land, so that’s where we start.”
Zimmer is a farmer, author, businessman and educator dedicated to biological agriculture. After earning a degree in dairy nutrition from the University of Wisconsin, he spent time teaching and working as a consultant in Minnesota before starting and becoming president of Midwestern Bio-Ag. “I always questioned things and I taught my students to question everything,” said Zimmer.
“Soils do not change — just our understanding and perception of them do.” According to Zimmer, with the use of soil tests, his company works with farmers to balance all the minerals that are naturally found in the soil.
“The most expensive things you buy you do not need,” he said, referring to fertilizer. “Why do farmers buy fertilizer? Don’t they have enough manure? Ten-dollar milk changed everything.”
Zimmer spoke about different soil minerals and how they relate to each other and how nutrients move into the plant roots. “It’s all about soil fertility and the relationship between the minerals, the soil structure and soil biology. You should have twenty-five earthworms in a cubic foot of soil.” The company does not endorse the use of herbicides, insecticides or fungicides, but instead promotes weed and pest control using biological farming practices.
“What are biological farming practices?” asked Zimmer. “They are using a balanced fertilizer program, growing green manure crops, practicing proper tillage, using tight crop rotations and a wide diversity of plants. Also, measuring and monitoring everything.”
“We try to balance all the minerals in the soil — not just the major ones like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. We look at calcium, sulfur, boron, to name a few, and all the trace minerals (such as selenium, iodine, cobalt, iron and zinc).” In addition, Zimmer promoted tight crop rotations and the use of different plants. “Plants determine the soil life and diversity is the key,” he said. “You will not hear about any miracle products today.”
Zimmer is the author of a book published in 2000 entitled, “The Biological Farmer, A Complete Guide to the Sustainable & Profitable Biological System of Farming.”
His focus remains on the soil as the source of nutrients: how healthy soils produce healthy plants for healthy livestock and healthy humans. Biological farming practices and agricultural products are field tested on the Zimmer family’s Otter Creek Organic Farm, which includes a 200-cow organic dairy that is managed by Zimmer’s son.
“Our biggest concentration of farms using our products are in Wisconsin,” said Zimmer. “Our fertilizers blend all the micro-nutrients you need according to your soil tests. We solve problems with common sense.”
Joyce Zimmerman
Southeastern Pa. Correspondent
NEW HOLLAND, Pa. — Gary Zimmer, dairy nutritionist and soil expert, spoke at a biological farming conference sponsored by Midwestern Bio-Ag here recently at Yoder’s Restaurant in eastern Lancaster County.
Midwestern Bio-Ag, Blue Mounds, Wis., is a biologically-based consulting company that helps farmers make profitable management decisions about soil fertility.
“All dairy nutritionists are the same. They come to your farm, punch numbers in their computers, and come up with a cheaper ration.” Zimmer said. “I want to know what they put in and what they took out to make it cheaper.”
“Dairy nutrition starts with the soil,” said Zimmer. “I took dairy nutrition to the field. The basic foundation and top priority for everything that happens on your farm is the land, so that’s where we start.”
Zimmer is a farmer, author, businessman and educator dedicated to biological agriculture. After earning a degree in dairy nutrition from the University of Wisconsin, he spent time teaching and working as a consultant in Minnesota before starting and becoming president of Midwestern Bio-Ag. “I always questioned things and I taught my students to question everything,” said Zimmer.
“Soils do not change — just our understanding and perception of them do.” According to Zimmer, with the use of soil tests, his company works with farmers to balance all the minerals that are naturally found in the soil.
“The most expensive things you buy you do not need,” he said, referring to fertilizer. “Why do farmers buy fertilizer? Don’t they have enough manure? Ten-dollar milk changed everything.”
Zimmer spoke about different soil minerals and how they relate to each other and how nutrients move into the plant roots. “It’s all about soil fertility and the relationship between the minerals, the soil structure and soil biology. You should have twenty-five earthworms in a cubic foot of soil.” The company does not endorse the use of herbicides, insecticides or fungicides, but instead promotes weed and pest control using biological farming practices.
“What are biological farming practices?” asked Zimmer. “They are using a balanced fertilizer program, growing green manure crops, practicing proper tillage, using tight crop rotations and a wide diversity of plants. Also, measuring and monitoring everything.”
“We try to balance all the minerals in the soil — not just the major ones like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. We look at calcium, sulfur, boron, to name a few, and all the trace minerals (such as selenium, iodine, cobalt, iron and zinc).” In addition, Zimmer promoted tight crop rotations and the use of different plants. “Plants determine the soil life and diversity is the key,” he said. “You will not hear about any miracle products today.”
Zimmer is the author of a book published in 2000 entitled, “The Biological Farmer, A Complete Guide to the Sustainable & Profitable Biological System of Farming.”
His focus remains on the soil as the source of nutrients: how healthy soils produce healthy plants for healthy livestock and healthy humans. Biological farming practices and agricultural products are field tested on the Zimmer family’s Otter Creek Organic Farm, which includes a 200-cow organic dairy that is managed by Zimmer’s son.
“Our biggest concentration of farms using our products are in Wisconsin,” said Zimmer. “Our fertilizers blend all the micro-nutrients you need according to your soil tests. We solve problems with common sense.”
