Fwd from Ken Hargesheimer of the Minifarms Network: http://www.minifarms.com/ Minifarms Network - Organic, Biointensive, Raised Bed Agriculture
See also: http://www.minifarms.com/rba.html Minifarms Network - Raised Bed Agriculture ---- <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] Workshops in organic, no-till, permanent bed gardening, mini-farming and mini-ranching worldwide in English & Spanish Proven Practices for Profitable Urban Crop Production Inter-urban, Urban, Peri-urban Chicago has 6,000 acres of vacant land just waiting to be converted into mini-farms and mini-ranches. This land could feed all the hungry people in the city. It could provide employment. They can be cooperatives, community gardens or private farms. "Nothing brings down neighborhoods quite like vacant lots. They become unwanted magnets for trash, high weeds and discouragement." [Editorial, DMN, 31 Mar 04] Beautifies the community, produces income, the center for neighborhood gatherings and a refugee for the soul. These are based on the internet, US & international agriculture magazines, experiences teaching agriculture in many countries, research and farmer experiences in those countries and a demonstration garden. They are ecologically sustainable, environmentally responsible, socially just and economically viable. There is unlimited, documented proof. On mechanized farms, no-till reduced production cost 30% the first year and tripled profits in five years [Argentine]. On mini-farms the following can double the yields and reduce the labor by half compared to traditional methods. There are 200,000,000 no-till acres worldwide. ¬°It works! Mechanized: In 2002, A D Hughes [806-866-5667] decided to go no-till and purchased a no-till planter. He planted the cotton, harvested the cotton, planted wheat, knocked down the wheat and he was ready to plant again. His cost went to the basement. Buster Adair [806-755-2532] has been no-till [cotton] for twenty years. Steve Groff [cedarmeadowfarm.com] has been no-till [vegetables, corn] for 30 years. Mini-farms: Fukaoka Farm, Japan, has been no-till [rice, small grains, vegetables] for 70 years. Dripping Springs Gardens, AR, has been no-till [vegetables, flowers] for 8 years. An Indian farmer has been no-till [vegetables] for 5 years. A Malawi farmer has been no-till [vegetables] on permanent beds for 25 years. A Honduras farmer has been no-till [vegetables & fruit] on permanent beds on the contour (73¬ slope] for 8 years. Ruth Stout [USA] had a no-till garden for 30 years and 7,000 people visited her garden. No technique yet devised by mankind has been anywhere near as effective at halting soil erosion and making food production truly sustainable as No-till (Baker) 1. Open mind 2. Willing to make changes [first, in the mind and then, in the field] 3. LandÄìInter-urban, urban or peri-urban. Own, rent, lease or use free? land owned by tax offices, private businesses, churches, companies, city, county, state governments, individuals, farmers. 4. Restore the soil to its natural health. [Contaminations: inorganic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers] 5. Maintain the healthy soil [produces healthy vegetables which have few diseases, pests and weeds. Healthy soil produces healthy vegetables to have healthy people. 6. Feed the soil; not the vegetables 7. Increase the soil organic matter every year 8. Maintain plant diversity [with vegetables and/or green manure/cover crops] 9. Manage the vegetables for highest profits per acre; not highest yield per acre. 10. Little or no external inputs [It is not necessary to buy anything, from anybody. Certain things are recommended] 11. Leave all crop residues on top of the soil. 12. No-till: no digging, no tilling, no cultivating [no hard physical labor required so the elderly and children can do it] 13. Permanent beds [crops] 14. Permanent paths [walking] 15. Hand tools & power-hand tools 16. 12-months production [economical nearly everywhere. DIY facilities] 17. Organic certification [if market demands it] 18. Organic fertilizers 19. Organic disease control. 20. Organic herbicides. 21. Organic pesticides. 22. Biological pest control. 23. Attract beneficials [bats, birds, insects, toads, spiders, snakes, frogs, lizards, grasshopper mice] 24. Protect pollinators [honey bees, native bees, wasps, yellow jackets, dirt daubers, butterflies] 25. Protect soil organisms [worms, micros] 26. Soil always covered 27. Use mulch/green manures/cover crops. 28. Feed the soil through the mulch. 29. Organic matter [Free. Delivered free? When economically feasible, transport to the farm. Use as mulch] 30. Compost [for special uses or to use excess organic matter.] 31. Crop rotation 32. Strip cropping 33. Inter-cropping 34. Grey water/stored rain water for irrigation 35. Wastewater for irrigation. [cleaned with plants] 36. Drip irrigation [Purchase or DIY poly] 37. Seed [open-pollinated] 38. Alternative/foreign/ethic crops [grains, fruits, roots, fibers, herbs, nuts, dyes, medicinals, flowers, syrups, crafts, sweeteners, seed, ornamentals, spices] 39. Muscovies [should be on every mini-farm & mini-ranch] 40. Market [People want to buy local, buy fresh, buy organic] 41. Alternative marketing [think outside the box!] 42. Value-added products [very profitable] 43. Agri-training and/or educational tours [train others, especially young people] 44. Protect nature [wildlife, native plants, streams & riparians, ponds & lakes, wetlands, forest and prairies.] 45. Imitate nature. Most farmers fight nature. ¬°Nature always wins! Ken Hargesheimer Websites: <http://www.dirtdoctor.com/>dirtdoctor.com, <http://www.newfarm.org/>newfarm.org; <http://www.echonet.org/> echonet.org [English, Espa±ol]; <http://www.agriculture.com/future>agriculture.com/future; <http://cityfarmer.org/>cityfarmer.org; <http://www.invisiblegardener.com/>invisiblegardener.com, <http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/>rodaleinstitute.org, <http://www.ruaf.org/>ruaf.org [English, Espa±ol, French, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese], <http://www.leisa.info/>leisa.info [English, Bahasa Indonesia, French, Portuguese, Espa±ol]; <http://www.attra.ncat.org/>attra.ncat.org [English, Espa±ol]; <http://www.tearfund/tilz>tearfund.org/tilz [English, French, Portuguese, Espa±ol]; <http://www.thefutureisorganic.net/>thefutureisorganic.net; <http://www.acresusa.com/>acresusa.com; efrc.com, metrofarm.com; cipotato.org/urbanharvest/home.htm; <http://www.mofga.org/tech.html>mofga.org/tech.html; <http://www.smallfarm.com/>smallfarm.com; hdra.org.uk; <http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/>smallfarmtoday.com; soilassociation.org; http://dmoz.org/Science/Agriculture/Sustainable_Agriculture/Organic_Fa rming/Associations; <http://www.organic-europe.net/>organic-europe.net; <http://www.kccua.org/>kccua.org; pps.org/info/newsletter/october2005/?referrer=newsletter_email Read: "Micro Eco-Farming" - Barbara Berst Adams Free Agriculture DVD. Email your postal address to <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] "The Impact of Food on Learning and Behavior" 15 minutes DVD about Appleton HS. Mail $1 to Ken Hargesheimer, Lubbock TX 79408-1901 "You Do What You Eat" <http://www.odemagazine.com/>www.odemagazine.com Sept 05. How healthy food can reduce aggressive behavior. Available on request: Proven Practices for Profitable: v Crops & Livestock v Livestock v Crops v Cotton v Corn v Dairy Farms v Vegetables v Urban Crops & Livestock v Urban Crops v Urban Crops & Livestock-Youth v Urban Crops-Youth Proven Practices for: v Community Gardens v Home Gardens v Home Food Production _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list [email protected] http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
