Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Ken Hargesheimer <minifarms2@yahoo.com>]

ol3

GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK

USA: TX,  MS,  FL,  CA,  AR,  NM, WA;   Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, Côté d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India, Uzbekistan

minifarms@gmail.com

Workshops in organic, no-till, permanent-bed gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching worldwide in English & Español

 

 

Appropriate Technology for Americans

 

More information can be obtained from me or on the internet.  Ken Hargesheimer  minifarms@gmail.com

 

1. Farms: Organic, no-till in permanent beds.  Wheels in permanent tracks increases yield 15%.  No plowing, cultivating, etc. Small tractor with no-till row-crop planter, vegetable planter and/or drill and crimper.  
2. Mini-livestock farms:  Legume & grass forages. Rotational grazing.  Small animals in moveable pens over permanent beds.
3. Dairy:  Cows, goats, camels, sheep.  Legume & grass fed.  Rotational grazing.  Little or no grain.  Organic.
4. Poultry:  Organic legume & grasses.  Free-range rotational grazing and/or in moveable pens over beds.
5. Mini-farms: Organic, no-till in permanent beds.  This will double or triple yields and reduce labor by 50% compared to traditional farming.  Hand tools and power hand tools. 
6. Inter-urban, urban, peri-urban gardens/mini-farms:  Organic, no-till in beds.  Land [free] is available.  This is growing rapidly nationwide.  There is more market than there is production.
7. Financial:   Earn $90,000 per acre.  www.ipm.osu.edu/files/SW%20Ohio.pdf
8. Community gardens:  For those without land to garden.  In all cities. Organic, no-till in permanent beds.  Children, elderly and lazy people can garden this way.
9. School gardens:  Teaching tool. Food for children. Trains future farmers.  Future Organic Farmers of America [JrHi & high school].  Organic, no-till in permanent beds.
10. Seed:    groworganic.com;   willhiteseed.com;  southernexposure.com; etc.
11. SRI - [system of rice intensification].  Reduces labor and doubles yields. Rice, wheat, sugarcane, mustard.
12. Soil:  To have healthy soil, add organic matter.  Healthy soil produces healthy plants, high yields and prevent most disease, pest, erosion and weed problems. 
13. Compost:  Too much time and labor except for special use. Use the organic matter as mulch on the beds. 
14. Vermicomposting:  Not necessary. Too much time and labor.  Worms in the beds will compost everything.
15. Drip irrigation: 1).  Purchase drip equipment such as Watermatics.  2).  No piped water, use a bucket to supply water to a drip line.  A kit can be purchased [chapinlivingwaters.org] or DIY system. 
16. Graywater for irrigation:
17. Waste water for irrigation:  Biological treatment in 3 ponds.  
18. Rainwater harvesting:  kediarainwater.org
19. Hoop houses:  Winter production.
20. Greenhouse:  Free plans. Cost-$150. NC Coop. Ext. Service.  AG426.  Usually not necessary.
21. Shade for vegetables:  Shade over cool season crops may make it possible to grow during warmer weather.
22. Farm tools:  Scythe, machete, weed cutter, planting hoe, jab planter, etc. and hand power tools.
23. Marketing:  Sell locally and/or to marketing cooperatives.  Farm-to-school; college; hospital, restaurant and retirement homes, CSAs.  No contracts with corporations.
24. Valve-added: Very profitable.  Add value to the farm products using AT below.
25. www.i4at.org:  Covers many areas of AT.
26. Water pumps:   hand or pedal-powered; solar-powered using batteries [see below]. 
27. Solar cookers:  Cook food with the sun.  Do not buy them; DIY.  solarcookers.org  
28. Solar electricity panels:  Light homes, classrooms, etc.  Can power radios, computers, etc.  http://biodesign.webeden.co.uk. 2x3 inch [$1] powers a radio.  6x12 inch recharges a 12v.battery.  californiasolarcenter.org/ssh.html for schools;
29. Solar water heaters:  A drum/barrel, painted a dark color, will heat water.  In cool/cold climates, put it in an insulated box with a clear cover.  For more hot water, add more barrels. DIY.
30. Solar driers [dehydrators] for food.  DIY  <www.efn.org/~itech>. 
31. Solar collectors:  heat homes, etc. DIY.
32. Bicycles:  Tricycles. Quadracycles.  Used bicycles and mechanic training for developing countries.   bikesnotbombs.org;  ibike.org/economics/workbike.htm#ppower;  bikesfortheworld.org;  pcei.org/vbp; workshophouston.org/index.php;  bicycle pickup - projectrwanda.org;  calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm;  technologyforthepoor.com
33. Snow Bicycle:  Bicycle equipped with ski and track.   www.ktrakcycle.com
34. Bicycle trailers:  Drill holes and bolt together.  Use for cargo, passengers, selling, etc.  Use bamboo, wood, pipe, square tubing, angle iron, etc.  minifarms@gmail.com
35. Snow trailer:  Trailer equipped with skis.
36. Pedal-powered tools/machines:  bikesnotbombs.org/at-list.html,  humboldt.edu/~ccat/pedalpower.  compatibletechnology.org  http://web.mit.edu/teresab/www/Bicilavadora/index.html [washing machine],  :   humboldt.edu/~ccat/pedalpower, http://bikesnotbombs.org/app_tech; fullbellyproject.org; http://web.mit.edu/teresab/www/Bicilavadora/index.html [washing machine].    compatibletechnology.org;  mayapedal.org;  Nut sheller [ground nut, shea, pecan, neem, wing beans, pine]; http://www.cesta-foe.org/index.html [Spanish]; hand-powered bicycle - tudelft.nl/live/binaries/1f807e82-77bf-4695-a701-77adc33c9fdb/doc/DO-06-2-3africa.pdf
37. Portable DVD players:  They are available with 7” to 10” screens; operate on 220, 120 & 12 v.  Use a solar panel to charge the battery.   Plays videos and Power Point data DVDs.  minifarms@gmail.com
38. Laptop computers [used $200]:  Plays DVDs, videos, etc.
39. DVDs:  Free and on many subjects.  Contact NGOs, government offices, etc.  www.cd3wd.com;  Free agriculture and Bible DVDs from minifarms@gmail.com
40. Ram-earth construction:   Forms are set up and packed with soil/cement mixture.
41. Soil-cement bricks/roof tiles:  Bricks are made by mixing soil and cement [6%-10%] and adding water.  The mix is put into a press. They are cured and are equal to a fired brick.    http://www2.unam.na/pdf/RevSTFocus/Part-3of3.PDF
42. Soil-cement floors:  Cement is mixed into the soil, wet and packed down.  Equal to a concrete floor. 
43. Fencing:   Set post in a soil-cement mix.  
44. Human waste recycling/Sawdust toilet:   weblife.org/humanure/default.html;  minifarms@gmail.com
45. http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu/LTRAS/itech & www.efn.org/~itech:  Farm-Scale Food Dehydrator, Narrow Flame Propane Weed Burner, Propane Weed Burner for the Garden, Garlic Clove Separator, Garlic Trimmer, Weeding Spade, Serrated Hand Hoe and Mower Blades, Grain Huller for Rice, Spelt Wheat, Quinoa and Millet, Conversion of a Leaf Shredder/Wood Chipper into a Grain Thresher, Vacuum Packing System for Seed Storage, Winnower, Small Electric Winnower, Bug Zapper,

 

Other Important Information:

1.       Periodicals: Footsteps Magazine tearfund.org/tilz [English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, KiSwahili];  LEISA Magazine LEISA.info [English, Bahasa Indonesia, French, Portuguese, English/India];  Urban Agriculture Magazine ruaf.org. On internet.

2. Micro-loans:   Many organizations make small loans to people to create or expand a farm or business.  No collateral required. 
3. Idealist:   idealist.org  List of 54,000 NGOs worldwide.  Volunteer list and more.
4. Books:  Where There is no Doctor [in 90 languages], Where There is No Dentist, Midwifery. hesperian.org and Micro Eco-Farming – Barbara Berst Adams
5. Internet:  free programs - download.com; 
6. ECHO: Gardening and farming info.  Usual seed.  Annual ag conference.  echconet.org
7. Free Educational Software:  This was compiled by a Nabuur village and is extensive.  8 pages.  Request a copy from minifarms@gmail.com
8. CD3WD:  Over 1000 free books and other info on farming, A. T., etc. for downloading. http://www.cd3wd.com/CD3WD/index.htm
9. Workshops:  I am available to teach organic, no-till gardening and mini-farming in permanent beds using drip irrigation.  Funds must be provided.  Ken Hargesheimer, minifarms@gmail.com