January 19, 2008 at 10:01 pm · Filed under Notes ·Tagged farm, farming, sustainable agriculture
Notes based on Gardening for Profit by Peter Henderson.
One of the first things Henderson emphasizes in the introduction is that he’s no phony. He makes a distinction between self-made farmers–practical people who’ve “risen from the ranks”–versus people who have a little hobby garden or farm, spend a few years dabbling, and then write a book. Henderson wanted to let his readers know that he practiced what he preached. This is an interesting distinction because if I’m looking for information on how to farm profitably, I need to pay special attention to people who started off in a similar situation as mine (i.e. from scratch) and who’ve achieved goals that I’m after (sustainability and profitability). Why re-invent the wheel?
I wouldn’t have thought that this book, written in the late 1800s, would be of much value to someone like me, but Henderson must’ve really known his stuff. Sure, some things are outdated, like starting a farm for $300 per acre in the outskirts of NYC (ha!) as well as the hand tools and the horse power (i.e. horses as workers, not as pets). But other elements of the book are as relevant as ever. One example is his view on what it takes for a person to be successful as a farmer. More recent versions of this book have a handy list in the foreword that sums it up quite nicely: Read the rest of this entry »
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January 17, 2008 at 10:49 pm · Filed under Done ·Tagged agriculture, arid, desert, farmer, farming, organic farming, southwest, vegetables
I churned out another newsletter for my loyal subscribers (the coolest 73 people on Earth) and put together another goodie–a photo album of my farming adventures over the past year. The pictures are broken down by category. I must warn you, however, that these pictures are NOT representative of how smoothly things went this season. Since morale was a little low, we kind of neglected taking pictures of the weeds, the crop failures, and the exploded hoophouse–well actually, I think we do have some pictures of the wreck that was once a hoophouse. Those will be put up soon. Until then, just assume you’re only seeing the “bright side” of farming. It’s much more aggravating than it looks. But it’s still my favorite thing in the world (next to ice cream). Here are the highlights…
Prepping – Tilling, weeding, tomato cages, and the biggest tumbleweed you’ll ever see.
Planting – Seeds, transplants, tunnels, and me fiddling with an Earthway seeder: Read the rest of this entry »
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January 3, 2008 at 11:02 pm · Filed under To do ·Tagged compost, farming, soil fertility, soil health, soil organic matter, sustainable agriculture
OK, back to business. My plan had been to borrow a copy of The Biological Farmer by Gary Zimmer from the local university library. I’d been told it’s an excellent primer, and I’ve been looking for a source to provide me with a balanced context so I don’t get lost in the details. But before I could get my hands on a library copy, my schedule went to hell and now my “inside source” at the university has graduated. So then I was going to actually buy a copy, but tonight I came across another highly recommended book that’s available through the soil and health library nurtured by Steve Solomon (bless his heart). The book is Gardening for Profit by Peter Henderson and–get this–it was written and published in 1867! For a book to still be relevant and helpful over 200 years later [edit: 100 years later–math class, anyone?]…this I’ve got to read.
That library, by the way, it’s dangerous. There are so many goodies in there that I could easily blow a month’s paycheck in one sitting–I was so tempted to print out at least five books at once, but I practiced moderation and decided to print only one title, Gardening for Profit, at my local Fedex Kinko’s for $16. You can upload the PDF to their website and complete your order so that all you have to do is pick it up when it’s ready. I had my copy bound nicely so that it lasts a long, long time. I also paid the voluntary $15 to become a lifetime member of the soil and health library. Small price to pay for such a goldmine of knowledge!
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December 29, 2007 at 9:00 pm · Filed under Notes ·Tagged albrecht, drought, farming, soil fertility, soil health
Everything is still on hold because of the aforementioned medical emergency. The holidays are keeping me busy, too. But the good news is that I’ve gotten a small piece published in Culinate, an online food magazine based out of Portland, Oregon. It’s a news piece based on one of my first entries here, The Drought Myth. While it’s quite brief, it brings Albrecht’s point closer to the mainstream. Check it out:
The fertile plain, Culinate.com
[Edit: 1/30/08]
Some readers commented that Albrecht wasn’t condoning the use of chemical fertilizers, which is was the piece implied by connecting his article to the NYT article about Malawi. That’s not what I was getting at, but I can see how that implication could be drawn.
The comments further implied that the Malawi government is doing more harm than good by turning to chemical fertilizers. I wonder, though, if we look beyond the “evils” of chemical fertilizer, if using them for a few years can possibly lead to a win/win situation. Here’s the comment I posted:
I completely agree that raw materials are the most effective way to encourage soil health in the long run. But, I’m not sure it would be economical or feasible for Malawi’s government to fund a more sustainable approach to soil fertility, at least not at first.
If raw materials are not affordable, then the next best thing would be for Malawi to jump-start their agricultural economy with chemical fertilizers (which are cheaper, more accessible, and more convenient) and use the excess income to fund more sustainable (usually more expensive) methods ASAP.
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December 9, 2007 at 10:25 pm · Filed under Personal notes
I haven’t been posting for a bit because of a medical emergency in my family. Most of my time has been spent shuttling back and forth between home and the hospital. Whenever I’ve had the chance, though, I’ve been reading Holistic Management by Allan Savory. I’ve only gotten through a quarter of the book, but considering the circumstances, I’m proud of myself for still seeking agricultural insight amidst all the chaos.
On a deeper note, this experience is reinforcing my commitment to farming profitably. If I had delved into farming with a martyr mentality (as many people have encouraged me to do), I’d be devastated, both emotionally and financially, by a situation like this. I’d be paralyzed by scarce resources and unable to help my family during a difficult time.
I’m glad I never subscribed to the belief that becoming a farmer has to mean draining your bank account. I love farming, but I’m not willing to do it if it means not being able to prepare for life’s untimely yet inevitable surprises.
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November 29, 2007 at 11:27 pm · Filed under Notes ·Tagged compost, farming, soil fertility, soil health, soil organic matter, sustainable agriculture
Found an abstract which might explain how excess N messes with soil carbon sequestration:
“The added NO3- suppressed mineralization of C from SOM and stimulated mineralization of C from stover. Adjustment of rates of stover decomposition to temperature regimes normally encountered in Iowa fields after harvest showed that stover decomposition would not be complete within 1 yr and that increases in NO3- availability decreased the amount of stover C remaining in the soil. This effect of NO3- could explain how additions of unneeded N could decrease concentrations of SOM in long-term studies in which residues and NO3- are added in annual cycles. These observations suggest that practices that reduce unnecessary fertilization could help conserve SOM and reduce net amounts of CO2 released to the atmosphere.”
Next: My pathetic attempt to translate this into understandable terms after reading the whole study, if I can get my hands on it.
Update: No luck finding the full study after searching two state university library systems. Here’s the citation for this article in case anyone’s interested:
Title: NITROGEN EFFECTS ON CONSERVATION OF CARBON DURING CORN RESIDUE DECOMPOSITION IN SOIL
Author(s): GREEN CJ, BLACKMER AM, HORTON R
Source: SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL 59 (2): 453-459 MAR-APR 1995
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November 28, 2007 at 11:58 pm · Filed under Notes ·Tagged compost, farming, soil fertility, soil health, soil organic matter, sustainable agriculture
Now that I’ve read the compost study, Albrecht’s article on soil restoration, and the nitrogen myth article, I’m still left wondering how nitrogen directly impacts the formation of organic matter. Albrecht insists that there must be adequate nitrogen present in the soil or else carbon is lost (presumably as carbon dioxide). The compost study results back this up – more nitrogen resulted in more soil carbon. But then the nitrogen myth article implies that excess nitrogen (and I mean extreme, as in 60-190% net addition of N) also results in the loss of carbon from the soil. How does this work?
C + Excess N = CO2
C + Too little N = CO2
C + Just the right amount of N = Soil carbon
I think I need to get my hands on a soil science/microbiology textbook. Maybe I’ll peruse eBay and find a cheap copy that some college student spilled their beer on.
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November 28, 2007 at 4:38 pm · Filed under Personal notes ·Tagged farming, learning, procrastination
When you take it upon yourself to study something without any externally imposed pressure, it can be challenging to stay on track. Sometimes I find it difficult to keep up with farm readings because I’m such a hands-on person, and I don’t have any land to apply my new knowledge to. But it’s important to just keep packing that knowledge into your head for the day when you do get put up to the test, if you should be so lucky. Here’s why:
If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable. Favourable conditions never come… We must do the best we can. -C.S. Lewis
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November 24, 2007 at 10:35 pm · Filed under Notes ·Tagged compost, farming, permaculture, soil fertility, soil health, soil studies, sustainable agriculture, william albrecht
My Albrecht studies continue with an article titled Loss of Soil Organic Matter and Its Restoration. Like The Drought Myth, it was packed with insights and information. The metaphors were especially striking. He referred to the soil as a breathing, working entity, like a factory where organic matter is fuel, bacteria is fire, and nitrogen is the building material of choice. It uses the equivalent of 1 horsepower per acre to burn organic matter, “exhaling” more than 25 times as much carbon dioxide per day as an adult man at work.
The organic matter (its supply of fuel) has been building up gradually for 25,000 years in North America, since a glacier receded and left minerals in its wake. Then came the pioneers who tilled the soil, and a steep decline in soil organic matter (SOM) began. With the loss of SOM came a proportionate decline in agricultural productivity, and the trend continues to this day (compensated for by chemical inputs, of course). In this article, Albrecht outlines ways in which this trend can be halted or even reversed. Read the rest of this entry »
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