permaculture

[Neil Bertrando <neilbertrando@gmail.com>]

I'm not convinced that selling animals off the land will lead to soil
degradation.  This generalization needs some context clarification.
 specifically I would like to look at what actually builds SOM and nutrient
resevoirs.  SOM is generated by plants and microbes mostly.  very little is
generated by animals, although they participate in the cycle in a very
significant manner.

Nutrient resevoirs are generated in a variety of ways, and this topic is
very diverse and detailed.  so i think it deserves a more detailed look
than saying we cannot export animals (or other products) off of our farms.
 that drastically decreases any economic income options from farming.
 there may be some need on some farms to import specific nutrients.  the
import mechanisms can be varied from trucking in supplies to animals,
plants, and microbes bringing them in to wind and weather.  much of the
nutrients come directly from microbial action on soil minerals.

One example of someone who is deepening and uppening soil while exporting
animals is Joel Salatin in Virginia, USA.  I'm sure if anyone is
interested, we can share many many examples of this type of farming and
ranching.

If more details are needed, that can be shared as well.  suffice it to say
that we do need to consider management and balance on a farm economy and
ecology when designing and running ecological soil building farms.

Neil

On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 3:53 PM, John D'hondt <dhondt@eircom.net> wrote:

>
> Of course there is these days at least in Europe. When an animal dies on
> farm you must have it collected by a special knacker firm at high cost. No
> worries, the system can't last much longer.
> john
>
> This brings up a question: When livestock die on a farm or (particularly) a
> ranch, do ranchers leave the body in place (maybe covered with a bit of
> mulch or straw as cover matter) and allow it to feed the soil, feed the
> vultures, etc? That's what I would want to do. And that's what would seem
> most logical from a permaculture standpoint, but I could see there being
> some kind of regulation against it in our hyperregulated society.
>
> jenny
>
>
> John D'Hondt wrote:
>
> "...On the Midwestern Prairies grazers died or were eaten on the spot by
> predators and so left the nutrients captured in their bodies in place."
>
> * * * * * * *
>
> Jenny Nazak
> Austin Permaculture Guild
>
> Still haven't taken a Permaculture Design Certificate course?
> What on "EARTH" are you waiting for?
> TWO spaces left in Winter/Spring 2012 course! www.austinperm.com
>
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