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  • From: Mark Nagel <activism98201@verizon.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Sustainable Production of Fresh-Market Tomatoes and O
  • Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:58:22 -0500 (CDT)

Paul, I agree 100% with your assessment.

What I was wanting bring up (and failed to do so in my initial response) was
the question of how it is, exactly, that these crimpers/rollers can be said
to "kill" vetch. It seems a lot like mowing to me, in which case why doesn't
the mowing that people are doing "kill" the vetch for them? Are the
crimpers/rollers doing something special that might be incorporated at a
smaller scale (with or, hopefully, without mowing)?

I'm interested in this for purposes of potentially reinvigorating land
(perhaps to plant, but mostly to encourage more permanent vegatative growth
[create a micro-climate]).


-Mark Nagel
Everett, WA


=====================
From: TradingPostPaul <tradingpost@riseup.net>

Let me recommend that link for anyone interested. Read the whole piece,
New Tools for Organic No-Till - Introducing a cover crop roller without all
the drawbacks of a stalk chopper. Here’s the story of how good neighbors
designed and constructed a front-mounted cover-crop roller that allows you
to knock down a weed-suppressing mat and plant through it, all in one quick
pass.

To your question, Mark, I can't figure how we'd push a smaller version
around, given it needs a certain weight for effective crimping. But I'm
thinking outside the box here. They're still working on major row crops,
and plowing or discing to put in the cover crop. Yet we know that turning
the soil brings up weed seeds. I can't say what the ultimate solution would
be for field crops, but no-till is practical and profitable for home and
market garden beds. Weeds become less of a problem when you don't turn the
soil every spring or oftener.

Further, the typical field crop farmer across the country is barely
breaking even, and it's not unusual to find farmers working a job in town
or spouse working just to pay bills. That's not living. So I'm sorry,
Rodale, but you guys are still just tinkering around the edges, selling to
the middleman, and you won't save family farms that way.

But there is hope in the proven cost cutting practices I listed, and in
season extension techniques and marketing direct for retail prices.
Regrettably, all these farmers in debt to the banks and government
programs, forced to put up the farm as collateral just to borrow for seed
and expenses, or on contract to Campbell Soup or Tyson, are locked in for
life and can't get off the treadmill. Remember, this country does not feed
the world, not anymore. We import more than we export, and we haven't even
been hit with the post-Peak oil prices yet. Conventional agriculture is
going to die a slow, painful death. We are the cutting edge of
survivability and sustainability.

[snip]




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