>> Give me about a dozen examples of what a farmer would encounter. Let's
talk about land management in terms of 0.5, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 120,
360, 720, and 1500 acre size farms, OK? <<
Okay, let's look at more examples of when we might have to ponder whether
we're working with or against Nature. I take it you're asking for examples
of organic operations? Please feel free to ad more for discussion. Small
scale (0.5, 2.5, 5):
Snakes are getting in the chicken coup. Do we start killing the snakes or
make the coup snake proof?
Cattail are invading small ponds where
commercial water plants are being cultivated. Do we begin systematically
removing the cattail?
Johnson grass and Bermuda grass are invading garden
beds all over. Do we try to keep them out?
Medium scale (10, 20, 40, 60, 120, 360): Most of the sorghum, soy and corn
farmers east of Austin till whichever direction poses the fewest turn
arounds. Erosion is staggering. Should they till on contour and / or avoid
tillage all together?
The sesbania plant is a legume that invades Texas
rice paddies and the seed is almost the same shape and size as a rice grain,
passing through the sifters. Do we eradicate it around every rice farm?
Dairy and beef operations concentrate manure in lagoons, methane outgassing
is great and ground water contamination common. Should dairy men somehow
counter the gasses and contaminants they release?
Large scale (720, 1,500): Smaller tracts of land are cleared of their
brushy margins and consolidated into ever larger tracts so that machinery
can maneuver and make better progress. Where do we draw the line regarding
uninterrupted field size and how often should we have wind breaks and
wildlife islands?
Mesquite and juniper cover over grazing lands. How much time and energy do
we invest in clearing the brush?
Kirby Fry
For the real scoop on environmental and social justice issues check out the
archives of Democracy Now!
http://www.webactive.com/webactive/pacifica/demnow/archive.html
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