I recently moved to a spot in the mountains where our builders wife said for 15 yrs or more cattle then horses grazed on. I asked her what would grow in my garden. She said anything. Just stick it in, don't do anything special and wait.
So far she has been right. Is this true about farm land where animals were kept? Will I never have to use any compost or amend my soil? All over the garden I see humas popping up. I read this is a very good thing. Anyone ever heard of this? Tyler
Hi Tyler,
I think you will find that if you don't feed the soil it will become depleted over time. The fact that there were farm animals on the property means that their manure contributed to the micorbes in the soil. Now that the animals are gone you will need to replace those microbes eventually in your planting beds. Here's some interesting info on soil.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/knowhow/pp/soil.html
https://www.attra.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html#principle
https://www.loudzen.com/garden/soil/index.html
If you want info on composting, just lmk.
Btw, what's humas?
Newt
I think you will find that if you don't feed the soil it will become depleted over time. The fact that there were farm animals on the property means that their manure contributed to the micorbes in the soil. Now that the animals are gone you will need to replace those microbes eventually in your planting beds. Here's some interesting info on soil.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/knowhow/pp/soil.html
https://www.attra.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html#principle
https://www.loudzen.com/garden/soil/index.html
If you want info on composting, just lmk.
Btw, what's humas?
Newt
Thanx 
I've read up on humas on that particular site. I can't ammend my biggest garden unfortunately. It is large enough to build a house on 
It's very slanted so I assume that's why they didn't sod it, because you couldn't mow it. But many plants of all kinds were planted all over this hill. Builders wife (and my neighbor) divided numerous plants on their property and planted on ours. She says they've lived in the same house for 15 yrs (her husband built it) from new. She said they planted lots of things all around their house. They have a huge property with acreage. She said they didn't amend anywhere and they've never fertilized once. She didn't get the whole numbers thing, plus she didn't want to be bothered (not really a gardner). Their property looks like the Biltmore Estate, with blooming flowers, bushes and trees everywhere. She says they built on cattle land as well. Thought I might get lucky too 
Tyler
I've read up on humas on that particular site. I can't ammend my biggest garden unfortunately. It is large enough to build a house on It's very slanted so I assume that's why they didn't sod it, because you couldn't mow it. But many plants of all kinds were planted all over this hill. Builders wife (and my neighbor) divided numerous plants on their property and planted on ours. She says they've lived in the same house for 15 yrs (her husband built it) from new. She said they planted lots of things all around their house. They have a huge property with acreage. She said they didn't amend anywhere and they've never fertilized once. She didn't get the whole numbers thing, plus she didn't want to be bothered (not really a gardner). Their property looks like the Biltmore Estate, with blooming flowers, bushes and trees everywhere. She says they built on cattle land as well. Thought I might get lucky too Tyler-
opabinia51
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Doing sheet composting is an excellant idea. And especially if you grow heavy eater such as corn or tomatoes. And it's a good idea to add compost the to garden anyway.
Humus is the generic term for humic acid which is a highly branched, very complicated organic acid that is very resistant to degredation and it keeps nutrients locked up in the soil and composting will increase the concentration of humic acid in your soil.
In natural ecosystems, there is a constant composting of old leaves, feces and what not so, it is always a good idea to compost.
Hope this helps.
Humus is the generic term for humic acid which is a highly branched, very complicated organic acid that is very resistant to degredation and it keeps nutrients locked up in the soil and composting will increase the concentration of humic acid in your soil.
In natural ecosystems, there is a constant composting of old leaves, feces and what not so, it is always a good idea to compost.
Hope this helps.