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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing
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- From: Ken Hargesheimer <minifarms2@yahoo.com>
- To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: [Livingontheland] No-till cotton
- Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 09:42:38 -0700 (PDT)
Anyone who wants to see no-till cotton just come to Lubbock TX. One farmer has been at it almost 25 years now. Another one started four seasons ago and could not be happier. I know these men personally. Steve Groff, PA, [spoke at his farm day] who has been no-till corn, etc for over 30 years. The guru of no-till in the USA.
Proven Practices for Profitable Cotton Production [abbreviated]
These are based on the internet, US & international agriculture magazines, experiences teaching organic, no-till in many countries, research data and farmer experiences in those countries and a demonstration garden. They are ecologically sustainable, environmentally responsible, socially just and economically viable. There is unlimited, documented proof. No-till reduced production cost 30% the first year and tripled profits in five years. Over 50% of the farms went no-till in only ten
years. [Argentine]. No-till farming requires a no-till planter and/or drill. There are 200,000,000 no-till acres worldwide.
1985-2000, Dr. Morrison, TX research station, proved that permanent beds, with permanent tracks, increases yield 15%. In 2002, A D Hughes [806-866-5667] decided to
go no-till [cotton] and purchased a no-till planter. He planted the cotton, harvested the cotton, planted wheat, knocked down the wheat and he was ready to plant again. His cost went to the basement. Buster Adair [806-755-2532] has been no-till [cotton] for over twenty years. Steve Groff [cedarmeadowfarm.com] has been no-till [vegetables, corn] for 30 years. It works!
No technique yet devised by mankind has been anywhere near as effective at halting soil erosion and making food production truly sustainable as no-till (Baker)
1. Open mind.
2. Willing to make changes [first, in the mind and
then, in the cotton field]
3. Increase the soil organic matter every year
4. Manage the cotton for highest profit per acre; not highest yield per acre]
5. Little or no external inputs [Not necessary to buy anything, from anybody, for the farm. Certain things are
recommended]
6. Leave all crop residues on top of the soil
7. No-till: no plowing, no disking, no cultivating.
8. Permanent
cotton beds
9. Permanent tracks [for tractor wheels to plant & harvest. 15% yield increase.]
10. Tractor [small] & no-till planter and/or drill [ no lister, no plows, no tandem disks, no cultivators]
11. Soil always covered
12. Use mulch/green manures/cover crops.
13. Alternative cotton [naturally colored varieties from India and Peru ]
14.
Imitate nature. Most farmers fight nature. ¡Nature always wins!
If you would like a list of website, DVDs, etc for further research, etc. request it from minifarms@gmail.com.
Ken
Hargesheimer
DVD: BT Cotton in Andhra Pradesh A three year fraud. ddsrural@sanchamet.in Send $3 [ppd] to Ken Hargesheimer, Box 1901 , Lubbock TX .
Go to: http://bibledvd.googlepages.com/home and www.nabuur.com
Groups are talking. We´re listening. Check out the handy changes to Yahoo! Groups.
-
[Livingontheland] No-till cotton,
Ken Hargesheimer, 08/02/2006
- Re: [Livingontheland] No-till cotton, Art Corbit, 08/02/2006
-
Re: [Livingontheland] No-till cotton,
Alan Whitaker, 08/02/2006
- Re: [Livingontheland] No-till cotton, Art Corbit, 08/02/2006
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