As I was sharing in the last article about weeds and their role in bringing healing to the soil by restoring balance with their various "abilities", a spiritual illustration came to mind.
Have you farmers out there ever wondered how things worked in the Garden of Eden? No diseases, no hail storms, no frost,no drought, just perfect, nutrient dense food, and the Creator walking next to you giving tips on how to grow perfect crops every time. You would think someone would thought to have written some of that stuff down but alas, the serpent thing happen, then the first organic biodegradable clothing, and just like that, man finds himself "out of the pool" so to speak.
All of the sudden mankind is having to work like crazy to get the soil to provide food. All nature was altered as a result of man's sin in the Garden of Eden, and in need of healing. Man also, could no longer enjoy those walks in the garden with his creator, and the relationship seemingly hopelessly severed.
Just as we strive to heal the soil to try and restore balance, we also attempt to bridge the gap between us and our maker but to no avail. In fact, when looking at weeds, they have more healing ability than we do, so what's up with that?
God never intended for man to be separated from Him, it was man's decision. But just as He provided for healing in nature, He also provided a solution for man.
Yes Virginia, there is a Healer and His name is Jesus, and it started with a baby in a feed trough in Bethlehem...
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Part II- Why would a relatively sane farmer of 25+ yrs. go to organic?
The next major step in my "pilgrimage" came after reading the book titled "Weeds: Control Without Poisons" written by the late Charles Walters. Though the book dealt with much more than just weeds, it painted a picture of all plants in general as all having various "talents or abilities" of amending soil that is not in balance. For example, dandelion plants tend to grow in calcium-deficient, compacted soils , and their massive tap root bring calcium back up to the surface. Its seed won't even germinate unless, to some degree, these soil conditions exist.
As I pondered these new concepts I began to think about all the weeds that grow on our farm to see if they were growing in the conditions that the book described. Sure enough each major weed found on our farm followed similar criteria as the book suggested. Then it occurred to me, of all the weeds found in our area, not all of them grow on our farm. I had previously thought that weeds would grow wherever the seed landed but in spite of all kinds of seed that had to be all over the farm, not all of them manifested themselves. Knowing that our high winds and irrigation canals guarantee complete dispersal of seeds and yet we had just a limited number of weeds established.
Another of the major contributing factors mentioned in the book was excessive nitrogen. Wow, if this was true then it would explain the increasing weed pressures I experienced as I was increasing the rate of fertilizer years earlier. Then add to this frequent soil disruption which also encouraged even more weed seed germination and what I had was a perfect environ for healthy, thriving weed crops. I suppose I should have been able to figure out some of this on my own, but it was so easy to just put some chemicals on it and have a quick fix and reap the benefits.
As I reflected on those days, I noticed an increasing dependence on the chemically quick fix rather than questioning why certain things were happening. The more books I read and conferences I attended, the more a familiar theme would pop up. Nature was designed to repair itself. When this theme started to soak in, the whole "organic thing" started to seem more plausible than I had previously thought. The two roads of agriculture became very clear. One being to force nature and face an escalating antagonism of nature fighting back, thus requiring even more rescue chemistry, and the other working with and enhancing nature to accelerate the process toward balance in the soil and eventually the plant as well.
Both roads have their pluses and minuses, so what pushed me over the line? When I put nature in the context of my faith, nature being originally created exclusively for mankind, it suddenly became clear that treating nature in the way it was originally intended to work was the right way for me to go. I obviously feel that this way is a better way, but I don't judge others who choose the other road approach. I will not use my blogs to attack the other "road users" but I will advocate for what I think is a better way.
This brings me to the reasons that I write this blog: (Sorry I've been so long winded)
1 .To point back to the Creator of this miraculously complexed world we call nature
2. To encourage ALL ag. to start asking "why" before taking the easy way
3. To not just advocate for ag but for better ag
As I pondered these new concepts I began to think about all the weeds that grow on our farm to see if they were growing in the conditions that the book described. Sure enough each major weed found on our farm followed similar criteria as the book suggested. Then it occurred to me, of all the weeds found in our area, not all of them grow on our farm. I had previously thought that weeds would grow wherever the seed landed but in spite of all kinds of seed that had to be all over the farm, not all of them manifested themselves. Knowing that our high winds and irrigation canals guarantee complete dispersal of seeds and yet we had just a limited number of weeds established.
Another of the major contributing factors mentioned in the book was excessive nitrogen. Wow, if this was true then it would explain the increasing weed pressures I experienced as I was increasing the rate of fertilizer years earlier. Then add to this frequent soil disruption which also encouraged even more weed seed germination and what I had was a perfect environ for healthy, thriving weed crops. I suppose I should have been able to figure out some of this on my own, but it was so easy to just put some chemicals on it and have a quick fix and reap the benefits.
As I reflected on those days, I noticed an increasing dependence on the chemically quick fix rather than questioning why certain things were happening. The more books I read and conferences I attended, the more a familiar theme would pop up. Nature was designed to repair itself. When this theme started to soak in, the whole "organic thing" started to seem more plausible than I had previously thought. The two roads of agriculture became very clear. One being to force nature and face an escalating antagonism of nature fighting back, thus requiring even more rescue chemistry, and the other working with and enhancing nature to accelerate the process toward balance in the soil and eventually the plant as well.
Both roads have their pluses and minuses, so what pushed me over the line? When I put nature in the context of my faith, nature being originally created exclusively for mankind, it suddenly became clear that treating nature in the way it was originally intended to work was the right way for me to go. I obviously feel that this way is a better way, but I don't judge others who choose the other road approach. I will not use my blogs to attack the other "road users" but I will advocate for what I think is a better way.
This brings me to the reasons that I write this blog: (Sorry I've been so long winded)
1 .To point back to the Creator of this miraculously complexed world we call nature
2. To encourage ALL ag. to start asking "why" before taking the easy way
3. To not just advocate for ag but for better ag
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Why would a relatively sane farmer of 25+ yrs. go to organic?
This story is going to take more than one session but I think it's the best place to start for my first blog attempt. I remember always being attracted to a more natural way of farming but never once considered trying straight up organic methods because I didn't believe they would be sustainable for the soil or my family.
As I continued to farm using more fertilizer, I noticed my chemical usage started becoming more a significant line item in my budget, but because my yields were increasing and we were making a profit, I didn't mind spending a little more. Where once we were able to cultivate the weeds out of our potatoes sufficiently for the vines to keep the weeds down, now nothing short of herbicide could do the job. Yields continued to increase but expenses also continued to rise.
Just as the weed pressures increased, tuber diseases became more of a problem. Sometimes there would be small spots in the storage pile that would rot, other times the whole pile would start going bad. Add to this the huge fluctuation in potato prices due to over production, and subtly my expenses were reducing my margins. Unlike my starting out years of making slow but steady progress, I now found myself making a huge step forward one year and then three or four years of breaking even or losing and usually losing big one of those years.
I found myself in a catch-22. I needed to cut expenses, but the increased disease pressures required more fungicides and herbicides. Costs for new machinery, electricity (we rely totally on pumped water through center pivots), seed, labor, as well as chemicals all were increasing. As much as the term "sustainability" is over-used, I must say my situation certainly appeared to be just that, unsustainable. I found myself in a similar position as a gambling addict waiting for the next big crop year with high prices.
In 1998 I went to day-long workshop on the soil food web put on by Elaine Ingham and sponsored by our Coop. The information I learned that day started to changed my way of thinking about soil and farming drastically and I was very determined (my wife would say indeed obsessed) with learning more about what the organic approach was all about. In part II I will go into some of changes in my thinking and approaches to how I farm.
As I continued to farm using more fertilizer, I noticed my chemical usage started becoming more a significant line item in my budget, but because my yields were increasing and we were making a profit, I didn't mind spending a little more. Where once we were able to cultivate the weeds out of our potatoes sufficiently for the vines to keep the weeds down, now nothing short of herbicide could do the job. Yields continued to increase but expenses also continued to rise.
Just as the weed pressures increased, tuber diseases became more of a problem. Sometimes there would be small spots in the storage pile that would rot, other times the whole pile would start going bad. Add to this the huge fluctuation in potato prices due to over production, and subtly my expenses were reducing my margins. Unlike my starting out years of making slow but steady progress, I now found myself making a huge step forward one year and then three or four years of breaking even or losing and usually losing big one of those years.
I found myself in a catch-22. I needed to cut expenses, but the increased disease pressures required more fungicides and herbicides. Costs for new machinery, electricity (we rely totally on pumped water through center pivots), seed, labor, as well as chemicals all were increasing. As much as the term "sustainability" is over-used, I must say my situation certainly appeared to be just that, unsustainable. I found myself in a similar position as a gambling addict waiting for the next big crop year with high prices.
In 1998 I went to day-long workshop on the soil food web put on by Elaine Ingham and sponsored by our Coop. The information I learned that day started to changed my way of thinking about soil and farming drastically and I was very determined (my wife would say indeed obsessed) with learning more about what the organic approach was all about. In part II I will go into some of changes in my thinking and approaches to how I farm.
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