Small-Scale No-Till from Vegetable Farmers and their Sustainable Tillage Practices

[KellyVisionPictures]

The only thing these folks are missing is the ground covering. They use straw to cover the ground between the rows but, if they covered the rows with something like wood chips, they wouldn't need to add compost as often. At least, that's the method used in this documentary, Back to Eden ... back to eden film dot com

[DwayneEParsons]

Great Job!

[stylus880]

thx straight to he point grt info and well presented

[Jefferdaughter]

If the soil is 'live' and rich with organic matter including adequate carbon, it will not readily compact, especially from walking. Adding sufficient dry plabt material to the cow manure or the compost pile (straw, mulch hay, leaves...) will allow the cow manure to heat up properly in the pile. But adding horse manure brings a little different nutrient profile, so that's a good thing! Great to see people doing good things with the land!

[TheArchcripple]

Good for them! Always glad to see previously-conventional farmers exploring organic and natural farming techniques. Someone should tell them not to sweat the invasion of dandelions. Those "weeds" are probably the most nutritious plants growing in the whole garden, and in my local grocery they charge top $ for dandelion greens. In the meantime, the dandelion's strong root systems are doing great things for the soil - find a good permaculture book and look up "dynamic nutrient accumulator."

[biospharms]

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[decox14]

4:09 What garden soil should be! Inspiring.

[JZacharyFenner]

Thank you.

[charkee1]

Very interesting. I don't have livestock wastes to use, but I have found incorperating small grains in the winter rotation works. After harvest the straw is returned to the field and laid on top of the soil. No composting needed. After several years the soils improve and the weed load greatly diminishes. I have planted corn directly into the straw with good results w/o compost or fertilizer.