Market Farming

["Michaele Blakely" <mjb AT premier1.net>]

Lawrence F. London, Jr. <lflondon AT mindspring.com> wrote in message 
news:<LYR98946-35243-2000.02.01-23.38.08--mjb#premier1.net AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>...
> > 
> Heavy tillage destroys the soil crumb structure, particularly if you
> have heavy clay or silt soils.Earthworms and some microorganisms
> suffer major setbacks too. Studies have revealed that earthworm
> populations dramatically decrease in farm fields when plowing and
> cultivating or rototilling occur on too frequent intervals.
> 
You know I just haven't found that to be the case as far as earthworms are 
concerned in my fields.  Granted I am not a tractor person, but I do use a 
rototiller quite a bit.  I had heard of earthworm populations decreasing and 
thought every time I pulled that chain I was becoming a mass murderer 
contributing to the extinction of all those squirmy guys and my fields would 
never be as healthy as they should be.  I finally figured out that the worms 
disappear when the moisture level in the soil begins sinking.  It wasn't me 
after all.  After a good rain, those guys are back.  I don't know as much 
about the microorganisms ability to survive.  I would imagine it is much more 
difficult since they are symbiotic to the root structure of the plant most of 
the time, but I would think that applications of composts, teas, and cover 
crops would help keep those guys in multitudes in the soil as well.
I'm wondering if the studies showing earthworm decline were done on organic 
soils with farmers practicing good stewardship or if it was done on soils 
with farmers  farming conventionally?  I'm thinking there was more to just 
the plowing, tilling that caused the loss of aerobics in the soil.
Michaele
Growing Things
Carnation WA
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