Is there anything like "Natural Farming"?

Question

What is the definition of natural farming?
Is farming natural?
Which is the most environment-friendly method of farming?

Answer 1

No. Farming is un-natural. It was created by humans because it they found it easier than "hunting and gathering," which is what humans did before they invented agriculture.



All agriculture affects the environment.

Answer 2

Yes. Natural farming is synonymous with organic farming. You use organic fertilizer so as not to deteriorate the nutrients found in the soil. It is inexpensive compared to modernized method of farming and it helps the environment as a whole.

Answer 3

Natural Farming - Its when farmers use the least amount of chemicals and technology and use the traditional method of farming, with their hard work.



Farming is natural no more. the use of different chemicals, steroids, use of pesticides, and biologically modified seeds prevent the farming to be done naturally.



Most environmentally friendly method would be natural farming and in smaller farms, rather than larger farms, because larger farms will produce pests that are more tolerant to the use of pesticides.



but, nothing can control the use of genetically modified farming, because its much faster and helps mass produce.



peace......

Answer 4

To my knowledge, the best ways are the Creator's ways. And true organic farming or gardening uses natural methods of weed & insect control, as well as natural mulch & fertilizer to nourish the plants. If you've ever been able to compare the taste of the two, you will see that it is by far much tastier! (; And, that is only one of the many benefits!



Gardening the Organic Way

- How Does Your Garden Grow? (compost)

- Toads, Birds, and Bugs--Your Garden's Friends

- Plants and Pest Control

http://watchtower.org/library/g/2002/3/22/article_01.htm



Organic Farming

http://watchtower.org/e/20031008/diagram_01.htm

Answer 5

It is called Organic Farming.

Answer 6

The name "organic farming" comes to mind.



Farming is done without fertilizers or pesticides.

Answer 7

hi,

natural farming is.." do-nothing -farming" literally. it is different from organic farming in many ways. you could do a search on " one straw revolution" (it's a book) or "Masanobu Fukuoka" (he's the author) and read up more about natural farming.

good-luck :)

Anisha

Answer 8

The art of cutting of trees and shrubs to ground level allowing vigorous regrowth and a sustainable supply of timber for future generations.



Edible Wild Kitchen

Index of recipes using wild herb and plants. FAQ about processing herb and plants for use in food. References to books and links to on-line sources.



Food Not Lawns

Avant-gardening collective based in Whiteaker, Eugene's lowest-income neighborhood. Currently, their efforts focus on rebirthing highly-localized food and medicine cultures; and the preservation and propagation of rare plants - and having fun!



Green Belt Southen Europe

Humans make the desert turn green, creating a green belt in Europe which will stop desertification and recreate fertile soils.



Green Guerillas

Work with the leaders of New York City's community gardens to help them build communities, foster and support urban agriculture initiatives and create innovative community garden based youth programs.



Permaculture - A Beginner's Guide

Permaculture offers a radical approach to food production and urban renewal, water, energy and pollution. It integrates ecology, landscape, organic gardening, architecture and agro-forestry in creating a rich and sustainable way of living.



Plants For a Future

A resource centre for rare and unusual plants, particularly those which have edible, medicinal or other uses. They practice vegan-organic permaculture with emphasis on creating an ecologically sustainable environment using Perennial plants.



Robert Hart's Forest Garden - a tribute

A small celebration of the Forest Garden at Wenlock Edge, Shropshire on the Welsh Borders, created by Robert Hart, who passed away on the 7th March, 2000.



Seed Ball Pages - Jim Bones Light Writings

A photographer explains and takes shots of landscapes, wilderness and organic and sustainable agriculture sites. Includes a great section with many photos of Fukuoka's Seed-balls.



Sheet Mulching: Greater Plant and Soil Health for Less Work

A method for controlling weeds and improving soil and plant health with mulch. The process mimics the litter layer of a forest floor.



Soil And Health Library

A free public library offering full-texts of books on holistic agriculture, holistic health, longevity, self-sufficient living, and personal development.



Vegan Organic Network

All about vegan organic horticulture and agriculture; the ecologically friendly way to grow food without using any animal products. Animal free farming will lead to a greener, cleaner, cruelty-free world.



The VidaVerde Seed Collection

Suppliers of seeds for interesting, rare, and unusual food plants from all over the world.



WWOOF International - Willing Workers On Organic Farms

Dedicated to helping those who would like to work as volunteers on organic farms internationally.

Answer 9

Biodynamic farming which is organic farming before it became known as "organic farming'.

Answer 10

actually its called organic farming. here you completely avoid using chem. fertilizers but use compost, manure etc.

this type of farming produces better quality yield than whwn got from using chem. fertilizers

Answer 11

Agriculture using natural soil, organic fertilizer and no chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified seeds.

Answer 12

Visit: http://www.ciks.org/

for info. You can visit them too.

Answer 13

Organic Farming

This is a page of Organic Gardening techniques, topics

and selected links to other Organic Farming information.

Organic farming is vital to our Health and Prosperity.

NEWS UPDATE, Vitamin Cartel Busted





Organic Gardening Topics Include:

COMPOST RECIPES

COMPOST QUESTIONS

ORGANIC & INORGANIC MULCHES

FERTILIZERS

COMPOSTING EQUIPMENT

EARTHWORMS

COMPOSTING & PROSPERITY

ORGANIC FARMING LINKS

HOMESTEAD ACT

CABINS

ROCK GARDENS

WETLANDS & WORMS

BUCKSKINING

SPECIAL LINKS











Steve's Compost Recipes:





2 parts tree leaves (for deep minerals)

2 parts grass clippings (fresh hot greens)

(fine chipper-shreader material is also ok)

1 part steer manure (crumbly handles best)

add a dash of live soil

add a dash of minerals such as phosphate rock, potash, clays etc.

spray with water lightly while mixing, but don't get soggy

make into small rows about three feet high

along garden border and away from water

cover with soil

turn every few days at least twice with pitchfork (good exercise)

respray with water lightly

compost is usually done

in two to four weeks in warm weather

mix with soil and add to garden

cover composted areas with mulches.







Thanks very much for your letters and questions about compost.

That's why I'm posting some additional info on composting here.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



"Can we just spread the materials under trees and around gardens without making and working compost heaps first?"

Its important to compost in separate areas for a number of reasons. It must be piled about three feet high or more to develop and retain heat to destroy harmful bacteria and to generate fungus and good bacteria. The key is developing enough heat, approx. 180oF for days, to convert microbes. Another important process is the very rapid growth of fungus, which produce antibiotics that destroy most harmful bacteria and break down the plant structures rapidly. Then the good soil bacteria and microorganisms begin to thrive and take over as the heap cools.



A recent E. coli bacteria outbreak here was traced to manure placed beneath apple trees. The apples fell onto manure contaminated soils, were picked up, juiced and bottled without pasteurization.



"Can we just use leaves or clippings as mulches instead of composting"?

This is not composting but "mulching". Mulches are important to maintaining the soil surface micro-environment, especially temperature and evaporation rate. They also provide cover and food for soil organisms and earthworms. Organic mulches eventually break down and release their nutrients. Remember, plant materials don't release their nutrients until well composted, and manures are dangerous and fast leaching nitrogen sources. Straight manures are "too hot" and will burn many plants.



Inorganic mulches are usually decorative gravels. They help keep soils cooler, decrease weeds and look clean, don't provide organic nutrients, but provide minerals. Some, such as crushed limestone can raise soil ph and add calcium. Granites and basalts can add potassium and trace minerals slowly. Perlite and vermiculite are usually mixed into topsoils to add moisture retention, tilth, potassium and trace minerals. Crushed phosphate rock breaks down slowly and adds calcium and phosphorus, a very vital nutrient, often deficient in soils. Gypsum can decrease soil ph and add calcium and sulphate.



"What about Fertilizers?"

Remember, plants need Nitrogen (N) from protein rich or nitrogen fixing plants, composts and manures, Phosphate (P) from rock phosphate or bone meal (Superphosphate fertilizer is very soluble and fast acting. It is a quick fix to get started, but leaches into ground water and has to be reapplied regularly) and Potassium (K) or potash from granites, felspars, greensands, clays etc. Fertilizers are rated on the N-P-K percentages.



"Where should we compost and what Equipment do we need?"

The compost should be done separately along fence rows or back areas away from water sources also. A firm hard surface facilitates scooping up and prevents leaching. Diking of compost heaps is sometimes necessary also. Special containers are popular for small urban sites, but unnecessary on farms



Rubber boots should be worn at site and left at site. (Also gloves) Careful washing, especially of broken skin, is vital. Use alcohol or Lysol spray cans if available. Dust masks are also good idea. A good pitchfork and a fine spray nozzle with presurized water are the most important tools. A long soil thermometer is helpful. Baskets, wheelbarrows, carts all help a lot. A large bucket-cable system can quickly move manures from barns to pile areas. Shredders, tillers etc. can break up and mix materials quickly and on larger scale. Loaders and wagons can move materials and composts on large scale.



It really takes two people, one to pitch materials and one to spray with water just until wet, not soggy. Then repeat when turning piles. Piles should be turned at least twice for best results. This greatly speeds process and the compost should have a sweet earthy soil smell very quickly. When heaps cool off they are usually done and ready for spreading. Hot heaps are dangerous to plants, animals, people and earthworms. They sometimes have to be covered to keep out flies, pests, excess rain etc. I cover mine with mineral rich sands or soils, and I sow the cover soil with grass on heaps of coarser materials that are to be left a season.



"What about Leachates?"

Lechates from fresh piles are too rich in bad bacteria and can be dangerous. Keep from water. But old composts are much safer. Some people make a leachate from old finished compost to water soils around seedlings and greenhouse plants.



"What about Earthworms?"

Earthworms are vital to life. First recognized by Darwin as the greatest soil worker and soil creator, the cultivation of earthworms is increasing rapidly. Earthworms don't like fresh compost heaps, way too hot. They like cool finished compost mixed into topsoil. They also don't like soggy soils. They love a sprinkling of corn meal on the surface, where they come up and feed at night. This extra feeding causes them to reproduce very rapidly. The casings are the best fertilizer and soil conditioner. Their turning of the topsoil is very important work and it really adds up to a tremendous amount of tilling over time. Worms can be collected by placing a cone of soil on a wet burlap. As the cone dries in the sun, rake away soil, the worms wiggle down to the burlap where they can be easily gathered. Another trick is to put soil into a 1/4 inch wire cloth sifting box with a 1/2 inch trim around the bottom. Place soil in box and wet burlap under box. Worms will quickly wiggle down through wire to burlap when box is placed in the sun.



A prize winning orange grower here in S. CA simply rakes the leaves in a ring at the drip line around the orange trees. (Not near the trunk where fungus etc. can develop). This mulch shades this soil area, retains moisture, and plus some added compost, raises lots of earthworms right where the tree needs them most. It also keeps weeds out of this vital root area. He uses only a few simple tools and also spends time doing some pruning and weeding (His neighbors don't do this and their weeds blow onto his orchard. They also don't win at the fair!).



Composting and Prosperity

As you can see, this simple process requires much collecting, shreading, mixing and pitching, but is actually one of the most important farm chores, very good exercise and well worth all the effort. It is the most important and vital recycling that man can do. Making soil a thousand times faster than nature and rebuilding vast acreage is really possible, even basket by basket. Composts not only provide nutrients, but also improve soil texture. Sandy soils retain much more water longer, clay soils have better drainage and tilth. Plowing is replaced by easy tilling of soft soil as deep texture improves. Erosion is greatly reduced. Terraced lands and depleated lands can really benefit greatly from compost and have less erosion. They can become as fertile as fine bottom lands. Spread of disease is greatly reduced, water supplies protected, and increased productivity on rich deep soils leads to long term prosperity.







Organic Farming Links:





The Hunza

Arbor Day Foundation

Rodale Press, Organic Godfathers

Calif. Cert. Organic Farmers

Envir. Res. Fndn, Rachel's News

Farmer's Almanac, Great Grandfather's Favorite

Steve Diver, Plant Nutrition

Organic Production

Organics

Allexperts Organic Advice

Maine Organic Farming Assoc

Sal Schettino Organic Farming

Biodynamic Farming

AgAccess

Bio-Organic

Home Gardening, An Anarchist Plot

Small Organic Farms

Garden Guides & Files

Small Holder Ag Dev Africa

Small Farms

S.A.R.E.P. UC Davis

Jim Scott, MLC

Organic Farming

Organics

Edible Landscaping

Edibles

BioAg Infomine UC Riverside

Org. Farming

Farming Connection

Age-Old Organic Fertilizers & Fertility Supplies Viagra? ;-)

Sundance Greenhouse Supply

Micro Encapsulated Products

Cornell Compost Cans

Organics Brochure

Organic Gardening Tech.

Back To Basics Homestead Books

RiverHouse Herb Farm

Live Earth Farm

USOFC, Costa Rica Organic Farming

Agricultura Links, En Espanol

Today's Vegetable Markets & Ag Links

Garlic Page

Owenlea Dairy Farm

Potato Growers Of Alberta

Potato Futures, NYCE

Mr. Potatoe Head, Fun

Weeds

Beekeeping

WormWorld

WormFarm

Wright's Worm Farm

Worms For Fun & Profit

Earthworm FAQ

Earthworm Lessons

Worm Business

Troy-Bilt Tillers & Small Farm Eq., Garden Way Inc.,











Special Links:





New!!!

Garden of Earthly Delights !





Agricultural PerspectivesAgricultural Home Page



Small Farm OutlineThings To Consider



Ranch And Farm Office



Farm SoftwareState of the Art Stuff



3D Garden Software NEW !



Community Supported Agriculture CSA's



Paulownia TreesWorld's Fastest Growing Hardwoods



Riparian EcoengineeringStreams and Life



A 2 Z Health Check ListFrom Farm To Food



Nutrition & Diet Links



African Agricultural Perspectives



Agricultural Parables A Few Words Form The Master !



Steve's Syberscience SecretsWebsite Index



Utopia Springs Index

Steve's E-Mail: [e-mail]

Please send any links that you think belong here, Thanks

July 31,1996 Updated Bimonthly