Veganic Farming: How My Tiny Plot Produced 5,000 Pounds of Food Without Using Manure. Introduction Is it possible to grow food without exploiting animals in gardening/homesteading and farming systems? Even if we do not keep domesticated animals, isn’t it necessary to at least use animal manure? The veganic way of growing shows us that not only is it possible to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs without manure but it is also productive, ecologically sustainable, and regenerative for our rapidly depleting agricultural soils. Veganic Farming: Definition Veganic farming is the growing, gardening, cultivation, and production of food and fiber crops with a minimal amount of exploitation of animal and plant species.
Veganic growing is an important step to ensure that we break the chain of animal agriculture in our farming systems. The idea behind veganic farming might sound good in theory, but do these models exist and are they sustainable? La Ferme de l’Aube Veganic Farm The farm focuses on: Soil Building Here are the results: SOM = Soil organic matter Diversity of Plantings. Journal of Organic Systems Vol. 10(1) 2015. Editorial: Personal priorities for organics to realise its potential Growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) as influenced by NPK, jatropha cake and organomineral fertiliser on an Alfisol in Ilorin, Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria The effect of organic fertilizers on growth and yield of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck cv.
Top Green) Economic costs and returns from organic farming in Oyo state, Nigeria This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Archives Abstracts Abstracts are in HTML format and are summaries of the content of the Full Text of papers. Full Text All documents labelled Full Text, Editorial or Book Review are PDF files. Azure Farm Moro • Azure Standard | Natural Organic Foods, Recipes and Healthy Living. Organic chart Jan 2016. Meet This Third-Generation Farmer Who Converted His 1,400 Acres to Growing Organic Food » Page 2 of 2. Read page 1 Becoming Unconventional Klaas used to grow monolithic fields of corn.
He used to spray. For 20 years, he applied all the “right” chemicals. “We weren’t making a good living on our farm,” Klaas said. Klaas and Mary-Howell had been toying with organic practices on a few test acres for a few years, intending to gradually convert a little more land each year. So they talked with the local ag experts about the feasibility of farming organic on hundreds of acres. The conventional wisdom was solidly against Klaas and Mary-Howell. But Klaas did have another reason: he’d been poisoned by the “right” chemicals. Klaas eventually recovered the use of his arm and body. “Going organic was the only decision we could morally make,” he said. There was a lot to learn. Cultural practices form the basis of all weed control. “Until then, I was used to thinking that whenever you have a problem you react to it,” Klaas admitted. The answer was not to fight against the weeds but to understand them.
Unconventional Klaas — BOOMTOWN TABLE. “The weed that bothered us the most was velvet leaf. It seemed unstoppable. But within six years of changing our farm, changing our rotations (and) changing our inputs, velvet leaf started getting smaller and smaller every year. And we started seeing a disease on it. " Martens realized the velvet leaf was being attacked by fungus and virus and insect. “And yet the crop wasn’t being affected,” he adds.
Experts from Cornell came to look at what was happening and they found it all incredibly odd. “What was happening is we were changing the environment,” says Martens. Martens, Mary-Howell, Peter and the rest of the team are constantly working the land to make sure the crops they’re growing will be the species that has the greatest advantage in the soil at any given moment in the cycle of farming. It's important not to be too pie-in-the sky about what Martens is doing. “We still have a lot to learn and there is always plenty of room for improvement. Education - Core Concepts | Biological Cultivation | Advancing Eco-Agriculture. 1. Healthy Plants Resist Insects and Disease We understand that animals and people have an immune system that is our natural defense against pathogens. For our immune system to function properly and fulfill its purpose, it needs to be supported with the proper nutrition.
If nutritional elements are lacking, or not properly balanced, the immune system’s ability to perform is compromised. This same concept holds true for plants. Plants which have adequate nutrition have inherent resistance mechanisms that allow them to be resistant to diseases and insects. 2. For plants to reach an optimum level of health and immunity, they need to have a fully active enzyme system to continuously process and create higher-order compounds. 3. The ultimate level of plant nutrition is when plants can absorb the majority of their nutritional requirements as microbial metabolites. 4. Regenerative models of agronomy and plant nutrition focus on improving quality and plant health, rather than increasing yields. The Antidote to Farmer Suicide in Southern India » Page 2 of 2. Read page 1 It was about this time that Krishnappa learned of a workshop to teach farmers an alternative to the chemical-based mono-cropping techniques, a central feature of the Green Revolution that has led to a decline in the total number of small landholders, an increase in the costs associated with farming, and a decrease in the amount of land used to grow food for local consumption in favor of cash crops.
The Green Revolution has proven to be a false panacea, whose promise of a reduction of hunger and poverty was short lived. What piqued Krishnappa’s interest the most in this workshop was the term “zero-input.” Was it possible to recover the health and productivity of his small but adequate parcel without investing in inputs that required cash or loans? The workshop was sponsored by KRRS and was an introduction to Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), given by the pioneer of this methodology, Subhash Palekar.
“Food and income in three months, Sir!” Natural Weed Control For A Healthy Garden | Survival. (Before It's News) The more we learn about herbicides and pesticides, the more we realize that they’re REALLY bad for both us and the environment. However, you can’t just let the weeds take over either. They’ll steal all of the moisture and nutrients from the soil and your plants won’t thrive. What’s the alternative, though? Is there such a thing as natural weed control for your garden? Yes there is! Pull Them Yeah, I know. Don’t just leave the weeds laying there though; they may have seeds that will fall out and quadruple your problem.
For weeds that are hard to pull, use a hand garden spade or a screwdriver to dig down in and loosen the soil. Newspaper, Mulch or Biodegradable Film or Fabric If you want to keep your garden weed-free, lining it with newspaper, mulch or biodegradable film or fabric is the way to go for nearly maintenance-free weed control. After you lay it on your tilled soil, cut and X everywhere that you want to put a plant, pull back the material, and plant your plant. No GMOs for the Gambia ever, declares president. Roots Up - Ethiopia - Self-sufficient farming communities | Design of a Dew collector Greenhouse. South Australia Does This to Increase Crop Yields 300% Without GMOs. Heather Callaghan, ContributorWaking Times Why would you go for seven per cent when you can get 50 to 100 per cent increases in yield without having to use genetically modified seeds? The South Australian Agriculture Minister has just reported “amazing” results after trialing a new soil program.
Minister Leon Bignell describes using technology that works with the soil and other organic matter. This type of innovation, that he calls an “evolution in science” abounds over genetic engineering, he said. The results of the following trial experiment strengthened his view that a moratorium on GM technology should remain indefinitely as it proves that GMOs are not needed. Incidentally, this year’s government test run was called “New Horizons” and some of the trial sites boasted a 300% increase in yields. Minister Bignell – who has stood with protesters against GM technology – said of the upgraded ag technique: The only thing that worries this writer is when he says: Hopefully? About the Author. Have You Discovered the Dirty Little Secret of Almonds? Barbara Minton, Natural SocietyWaking Times Research shows which brands to choose.
There is no doubt that almonds were once one of the healthiest foods on Earth; there are many health benefits of almonds. But before you buy almonds today, here is something you should know: most of the almonds sold in the U.S. have been fumigated with propylene oxide, a chemical that even the CDC has admitted causes cancer. In 2007, it became illegal for raw almonds to be sold in the U.S. But a second surprising outbreak of Salmonella occurred shortly after, and several government agencies got together to mandate treatment so there would be no more Salmonella outbreaks.
To achieve a dramatic reduction of salmonella, almonds had to be treated in one of two ways: Exposure to heat sufficient to raise the temperature to 200 degreesInsertion of the kernels into a closed chamber to be fumigated with propylene oxide gas The Danger of Propylene Oxide Which Almond Brand is Best? What We Have Lost The bottom line? Concerns Over Organic Commodity Check-off Proposal Swirling in Advance of Nation’s Largest Organic Farming Conference.
Proposal by Industry Trade/Lobby Group Could Tax Farmers for Research and Promotion La Crosse, WI – As organic farmers and enthusiasts begin gathering for the nation’s largest organic farming conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin, a number of questions and concerns are being posed about a proposal to create a federal market order and commodity check-off program for organics. The plan is being pushed by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), an industry lobby group dominated by large food processors, marketers and retailers. The OTA plan would create a USDA market order to assess participants in the organic industry for promotion/marketing campaigns and research projects. The OTA estimates the proposal would raise an estimated $30 million. The allegedly fuzzy math detailing how the money would be raised and spent, and how producers would be represented on a governing board and assessed, has many farmers and organizations concerned.
Mark Kastel “What cowards!” Jim Riddle. Denmark Launches Huge Organic Venture To Double Organic Farming by 2020. MIKE BARRETT | Naturalsociety | Feb 8th 2015 Over in Denmark, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries is working toward what has been deemed the ‘world’s most ambitious’ plan for surging organic food across the country. Excitingly, the new strategy involves doubling organic farming in order to serve more organic food in the nation’s public institutions. The Danish government announced a 67-point plan, Økologiplan Danmark, that focuses heavily on a more organic public sector.
The government has committed a total of 400 million kroner ($60.8 million) to its action plan, the full details of which can be read here (in Danish). “In order to achieve our goals, which are the most ambitious in the West, the public sector needs to lead the way. With Økologiplan Danmark, we will strengthen cooperation between municipalities, regions and ministries with a long line of new initiatives. According to Jørgensen, the nation’s public institutions serve some 800,000 meals every single day. Related.