Seeded Crops and Living Mulch near Missoula, Montana

http://www.permies.com
http://www.veganicpermaculture.com

Helen Atthowe talks about green manures, no-till and minimal till systems. This is some video footage of sustainable agriculture experiments that Helen did a few years ago. The focus of this video is how seeded crops would fare with seeded green manures / living mulches. Previous (successful) experiments were with transplanted crops in living mulch.

Helen's expertise is with green manure, living mulch and advanced composting.

Many years ago Helen was an intern for Masanobu Fukuoka and she has spent her life attempting to extend Fukuoka's body of work.

Species mentioned in this video include: onions, dutch white clover, alsike clover, green beans, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants

Also mentioned in this video: fungi, soil food web, nitrogen immobilization, organic matter, residue, decomposition, nitrogen deficiency, record yield, field experiments, single shank subsoiler, tillage equipment, tiller, hand weeding, organic farms, vegetable production system, weeds, bare soil, annual weeds, germinate, germination, compete for water, soil fertility, yellowing to the older leaves, microbial process, bacteria, earth worms, soil microbes

Relevant threads at permies:
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/2230_0/permaculture/helen-atthowe-...
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/7026_0/missoula-eco-forum/conserva...

music by Jimmy Pardo

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• farm
• crops
• sustainable
• living
• mulch
• green
• manure
• eco
• missoula
• permaculture
• organic
• sustainability

[sejamerson]

Just finished "One Straw Revolution" last night and was delighted to find this video about using clover as 'green manure'. Very well made video - is this part of a series? Thanks Paul & Helen - very inspiring.



[paulwheaton12]

@sejamerson yup. two others in this series are already up on youtube. more to come.

[zdriver]

Thanks Paul. Wondering what benefits a living mulch system gives over using normal mulch? I would think set up time and cost would be about the same.

[paulwheaton12]

@zdriver depends on the mulch. I would think in general living mulch would be cheaper. I'm a big fan of polyculture and closed canopy systems - which a living mulch is getting closer to.

[jaymeez]

She looks like she is in Great Shape!! Maybe I need to start farming so I can get guns like that.... BTW next time you talk to her ask her which way to the beach lol....

[paulwheaton12]

@jaymeez I think this video is of the beach

[creationisevolution]

In the Netherlands we have certain soilbound diseases wich will rise with continu use of clover (and legumes in general). how are the experience with that problem in your regions?

[Revolutionisnow1]

Very cool! I'm trying the living mulch in spots myself this year and very happy with results. Had the same with my beans and now know why thank you for sharing!

[hatthowe]

@sejamerson

Also there are more at my website - veganicpermaculture in the "agroecology experiments" link. My work with Fukuoka's sytem for grain production is there as well.

Helen

[sejamerson]

Just finished "One Straw Revolution" last night and was delighted to find this video about using clover as 'green manure'. Very well made video - is this part of a series? Thanks Paul & Helen - very inspiring.

[hatthowe]

@pestanah Yes! that is the name. It reminds me in growth form of my all time favorite cooler climate living mulch, subterrenan clover, which does not produce the greates biomass, but when kept mowed or tilled in contributes good nitrogen levels. Like most living mulches, it does not contribute N until mowed or tilled in. Nobody seemed to be using it as a green manure - wonder why?

Found this info from Hawaii: may reduce nitrogen availability in the soil during establisment.

[pestanah]

@hatthowe hi is the plant u are refering to, Arachis pintoi? They are also found in my country's man-made urban garden landscape

[AllynWally]

If your really interested in living systems and how they affect us here on earth, check out this film that's being made - (sorry I can't put a direct link, you'll have to change the DOT part) here it is: indiegogo[DOT]com/sust-enable-­the-metamentary

[nerdmom920]

So good to hear. I wonder if a hugelkultur bed could make a difference in the nitrogen immobilization and also reduce need for irrigation. I have tons of volunteer squash and potato plants growing up surrounded by clover and violets and they are growing strong. They grew up through the clover at that. You KNOW I'll be saving those seeds.