Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Liz <liz@allslash.org>]

At 03:16 PM 12/15/2007, you wrote:

> But even in a temperate climate where there may be proven
> methods of no-till farming, farmers are often under economic
> stress that preclude any experimenting with new methods.

Among other things, many farmers have to obtain financing at the 
beginning of each season to purchase seed, fertilizer, pesticides, 
new machinery, etc. The bank officer who has more or less routinely 
granted a loan in the past may be much less likely to do so if the 
farmer is "experimenting" with some new-fangled procedures. Add that 
to the uncertainty the farmer feels about methods whose success he 
has no personal experience with, and there is a lot of pressure not to change.

Around here, I saw the emotional upheaval people went through when 
they realized they could no longer depend on tobacco. Many older 
farmers retired and sold their land to avoid having to deal with that 
change, and that wasn't nearly as drastic as a complete change in 
planting and tilling methods.

Liz in SW VA
http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com