[permaculture-oceania] RE: No till methods

[Douglas Barnes]

Terry, 

I don't think I'd ever use the word "friendly" with Round Up. How about "Slightly less killy" of Slightly less cancerous?" I personally do not believe in reformed Round Up.

Next, if the farmers are just leaving stubble on the ground, they would be loosing to wind and rain erosion, I'm sure. The losses would not be as great as  they would be if the land we're completely cleared, though. And you are right, they would be losing minerals this way. The Latin American corn technique you mention sounds interesting. It sounds like the "three sisters model of growing corn with squash as a cover crop, beans as N-fixers and corn as bean trellises. That would do a great job of protecting the soil. But if you take something off the land, it will need to be replaced somehow or the soil is just on a downward, unsustainable path.

Next, if we are talking tropical farming, I would not want to be on a large piece of cleared land - nothing larger than a traditional Swidden system (minus the burning). There is just not enough soil to begin with in those regions. Working a large piece of cleared land, no-till or not just isn't going to be sustainable in the tropics. Why not grow what the land is suitable for? Soybeans in Brazil is maddness (unless the long term goal it to turn it into a desert). Tree crops are better suited to those areas.


Douglas JE Barnes
EcoEdge Design
http://www.ecoedge.ca
dbarnes at ecoedge.ca
 		
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