Sap testing and high desert agriculture with Chuck Schembre of EcoSoil Solutions in Nevada

Sap testing is like a blood test for plants, telling us what is going on with them right now. Chuck Schembre brings his 20+ years of experience as a farmer and soil scientist to explain how to use sap testing, in conjunction with soil testing, to help us understand whether nutrients in the soil are reaching them or not. We talk about how to take a sap test, and what you can learn from one compared to a soil or tissue test. Chuck also tells us about his farm, High Desert Harvest in Nevada, and how it is serving as a demonstration project for agriculture in a challenging climate with low humidity and wide temperature swings. We discuss foliar feeding for pest and disease management as well as fertility, how all these practices fit into regenerative agriculture, and why bugs can’t feed as well on plants with high protein content in their sap. If all this sounds interesting, they are hiring a farm manager/manager in training, so check out the opportunity at https://hdhfarms.com/#work-with-us! Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: If you grow for market, you know performance is everything. That’s why so many farmers are turning to Burpee’s Farmers Market . Dedicated to professional growers, Burpee is now offering non-GMO seeds in larger quantities – bred and selected for standout flavor, strong yields, and the kind of visual appeal your customers crave. Burpee’s been doing this for 150 years, and they’re still creating new varieties with growers like you in mind. You can check out the full lineup at Burpee.com/FarmersMarket . Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag and learn more at tilthsoil.com/gfm. Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more. For more on veg and flower market farming, subscribe to Growing for Market Magazine!