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  • From: Shawnee Flowerfarmer <farmingflowers AT hotmail.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] What weeds tell us about the soil
  • Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2010 21:36:33 -0500

I got a copy of "Weeds and What They Tell Us" from Southern Seed Exposure last winter.  (I searched for it on Amazon---used around 40$ for the pamphlet, but one of the reviewers posted the link for a copy at less than 10$ from SSE.)  It's an older text from one of the Biodynamic gurus...and I am ashamed to say that I've forgotten the author's name and can't lay my hands on the booklet right now; someone will post the name I bet.

I found it somewhat helpful, but more along the lines of understanding the enemy. 

Still, remember that the planet hates bare soil and immediately grows a green bandage of pioneer species over the wound you have created.  Weed control begins with your initial farm plan and never ends; the weeds are far better at energy use than the crops will ever be.
In my experience, bindweed outgrows everything all the time in any soil. 
In Northern Illinois, observant conventional farmers tell me that they know they have been selecting for herbicide resistance and are now seeing glyphosate resistant ragweed, velvet leaf etc.
I do keep notes of pioneer/weed  communities and the associated soils, but this is more of academic exercise and is only locally pertinent.  You will have to become your own expert in this area. (Then you can publish an e-book and we will all buy it)
Shawnee, zone 5, and alarmed by the gossip of Big Ag growers....


Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2010 18:42:18 -0700
From: andrea.m.davis AT gmail.com
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Market-farming] What weeds tell us about the soil

   Does anyone know of a good reference (website or book) that explains what particular weeds tell us about the soil, i.e. bindweed grows well in soil with low organic content.
   I've been searching through the internet with no results but I know such a thing exists.


Thanks in advance
Andrea

quarter acre farm
sonoma, ca




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