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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Loss of Soil Carbon After Tilling

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  • From: Garth & Kim Travis <gartht AT txcyber.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Loss of Soil Carbon After Tilling
  • Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:41:04 -0500

Greetings,

I do make a living with my no till gardens, but we are primarily tomato farmers so yes, I do use raised beds like a home gardener. The cost of setting up my beds was high, but I wouldn't be in business with anything else. Raised beds will allow my garden to survive 45" of rain in 45 days or the hottest, driest summer on record. I have been through both with my beds.

My tomatoes are the most expensive in the market and they fly off the table. People can taste the nutrition in them. We use rabbit manure on the beds every fall, after the first frost. Then solarize, then put the landscape fabric and mulch back on the beds. They are sitting ready to plant when the time comes, regardless of what the weather is doing.

My winter crop beds are not no till, but that is about to be changed. I can't get them planted this year. I have heavy clay soil, so tilling when wet is a good way to make adobe. This year, I haven't been able to till or plant for the last 6 weeks. Every time I get almost dry enough, it rains, again. The real beauty of the no till garden to me is that the rain doesn't mess up my planting schedule.

Bright Blessings,
Kim

Etienne Goyer wrote:

Do you do it at a commercial level? Ie, are you selling at least some
of your produce from no-till gardening? If yes, what would be the pros
and cons of this approach for a market farmer?





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