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Return to modern farming, please
ITS becoming clear that we can grow all the food we need, and profitably, with far fewer chemicals. And Im not talking about imposing some utopian vision of small organic farms on the world. Conventional agriculture can shed much of its chemical use if it wants to.
This was hammered home once again in what may be the most important agricultural study this year, although it has been largely ignored by the media, two of the leading science journals and even one of the studys sponsors, the often hapless Department of Agriculture. The study was done on land owned by Iowa State University called the Marsden Farm. On 22 acres of it, beginning in 2003, researchers set up three plots: one replicated the typical Midwestern cycle of planting corn one year and then soybeans the next, along with its routine mix of chemicals. On another, they planted a three-year cycle that included oats; the third plot added a four-year cycle and alfalfa. The longer rotations also integrated the raising of livestock, whose manure was used as fertilizer. The results were stunning: The longer rotations produced better yields of both corn and soy, reduced the need for nitrogen fertilizer and herbicides by up to 88 percent, reduced the amounts of toxins in groundwater 200-fold and didnt reduce profits by a single cent. Much more at: A Simple Fix for Farming - NYTimes.com |
#2
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What about the profit losses the fertilizer and herbicide companies will endure?
It's like asking doctors to treat without pills.
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Chad 2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE 1998 Acura 3.0 CL OBK#44 "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) SOLD 1985 300TD - Red Dragon 1986 300SDL - Coda 1991 - 300TE 1995 - E320 1985 300CD - Gladys |
#3
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If you're into that ^^^ you might like this
Fertilisers for use in organic systems : Soil Association
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#4
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What about the buggy whip manufacturers? Automobiles put them out of work. They should've had a union with connections in DC.
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#5
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Monsanto will not like a return to modern farming.
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Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out. Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability! (4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!) 82 300SD 145k 89 420SEL 210k 89 560SEL 118k 90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010 90 560SEL 154k 91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k 93 190E 3.0 235k 93 300E 195k |
#6
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Quote:
Imagine if someone invented a device like the transporter from Star Trek or the Portal gun from Portal. It would never see the light of day.
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Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out. Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability! (4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!) 82 300SD 145k 89 420SEL 210k 89 560SEL 118k 90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010 90 560SEL 154k 91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k 93 190E 3.0 235k 93 300E 195k |
#7
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Quote:
I try to grow my own food as I'm able and buy organic and locally farmed foods that are available.
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Chad 2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE 1998 Acura 3.0 CL OBK#44 "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) SOLD 1985 300TD - Red Dragon 1986 300SDL - Coda 1991 - 300TE 1995 - E320 1985 300CD - Gladys |
#8
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Very interesting. I spent a fair bit of time recently in Upstate NY where there a lot of Amish who farm with traditional methods. I became very curious about their successes but so far have not found any data or had a chance to talk to them about their practices. I don't know if they use chemical fertilizers. I doubt that they do. They work their farms without tractors.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#9
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Love the link! Thanks.
I think worst case scenario is nothing changes. Best case scenario... how would things change, in your opinion? I'd love to see more people growing their own even when it makes the neighbourhood "ugly". Especially if people had enough land to do something substantial. Probably a fair bit of job creation in that too.
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1983 300TD 240k Thistle Green Auto (Euro) [sold] 1984 300D 240k Petrol Green Auto "You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to have to learn how to deal with it." "What? Were you saying something? Look, I don't speak Spanish." |
#10
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Here's some info on Amish farms. It doesn't mention chemical fertilizers but I've never seen a liquid fertilizer/pesticide applicator pulled behind a horse.
Horse and Human Labor Estimates for Amish Farms
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#11
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Largely ignored by the media . . . but it's in the NY Times?
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#12
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And another:
Farm This piece appears to state that they do use chemicals in the kind of way suggested in the NYT piece.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#13
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More proof that there's little truth in the "sustainable = lower yields" rationale. Chemicals have their place at times, whether it's fertilizer, pest control or medicinal use on livestock. I don't believe the rational use of chemicals has caused the problems we're facing, rather the irrational dependence on them by so much of corporate ag. Great link, thanks!
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You're a daisy if you do. __________________________________ 84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold 04 Honda Element AWD 1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler 1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4 1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting |
#14
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Better yet, plant your own!
It will be interesting to see what becomes of Monsanto in the coming years. Once Roundup came off patent and generics drove the price of glyphosate down, their only solution was to come up with different formulations of Roundup. Dry formulations, higher concentrates, different surfactants, etc. Different colored lipstick on the same pig, at a much lower price. Several of their Roundup-Ready genes are now nearing the end of the patent. I'm not quite sure how they plan to sustain (ironic!) themselves. Scott's RR bentgrass for golf course use was in the works but that's come to a screeching halt.
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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15 '06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod) |
#15
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I am really pleased that B posted this information. I have always suspected it was possible. I had always heard that the Amish do it with only natural fertalizer though.
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC] ..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis. |
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