Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

VERY interesting, Greg. This business of interplanting cover crops and
trees can get a bit complicated (we posted some info and sources on cover
crops last month, for those who just joined). Exactly which of the crops
named there may vary with climate. It's doubtful I'd get good results with
alfalfa here for example, and I'm not willing to push my luck with our
well. Surprisingly, local extension agents may have some good info on cover
crops for different localities (I don't often recommend extension agents).
Rotations, cover crops and catch crops have been pushed by USDA etc. for
decades, but way too many farmers want to cut corners and leave fields bare
between cash crops.  I see it all the time. We've been watching one field
near us that was left bare after the last corn or bean crop was harvested.
With the five-month drought here we go by that place and see that poor corn
only two feet high. They won't get enough sweet corn to pay for the seed.
Cover crops pay. 

paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
---------------

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 7/19/2006 at 9:56 AM Greg and April wrote:

>A thought might be to plant vetch very thickly.    Crown Vetch, and more
>so
>Hairy Vetch has a reputation for being a sun lover and smothering weeds,
as
>long as they get enough water.    It can take a few years to get
>established, but, once established, it grow fairly fast when conditions
are
>right, and will spread by underground stolens - it's a slow spreader, that
>is why you should plant thickly.
>
>A companion plant for the vetch, would be red clover or perhaps alfalfa if
>there is enough water.    Between the Johnson grass, clover ( or alfalfa
),
>and the vetch, you could end up with some very nice pasture.
>
>Chicken tractor or pig tractor, will gain you meat, and they will scratch
>and root up every last bit of Johnson grass if you work it right.
>
>My preference ( depending on the water situation ) would probably be to
>block of the field into smaller areas for a rotational system.    Mow
short
>in the fall then inter plant, vetch and a legume ( clover or alfalfa ) and
>perhaps buckwheat, very early in the spring ( late winter if the
conditions
>are right, before the grass has a chance to start to grow ), don't forget
>to
>inoculate everything.
>
>After one full year of growth, interplant chicory, mandrels ( fodder 
>beets ), and other forbs, once they have started to grow, rotate cattle ( 
>low numbers ), the next year hogs ( to pig tractor ), the next year put in

>vegetables, that fall plant rye or other quick grower and the fallowing 
>spring chicken tractor.    Then start over replant to grass, buckwheat, 
>vetch, ect...    This would put it on a 6-7 year rotation.
>
>Strips protected by fence so they will not ever be ever be touched other 
>than what grows through/pass the fence, and plant forage trees like honey 
>locust, mulberries, paw-paws, persimmon and willow on the strips inside
>the 
>fence.    Any fruit not picked will provide more food for the animals,
>while 
>the leaves and stems of the willow that make it over will be eaten
>directly, 
>and all the trees will provide wind and some sun shelter for the animals 
>once grown.
>
>Greg H.
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Terry Boyne" <>
>To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 11:20
>Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] A No Till Question for Larger Fields
>
>
>> "How large are the fields and what is the climate?
>>
>> I have an idea, but, it may or may not be in your budget."
>>
>> Greg H.
>>
>>
>> Greg,
>>
>> The fields would be in sizes of 5 to 20 acres and are located in NE
>> Oklahoma.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Terry
>>