The pressure to use something instant is funding.
people on
the land in debt to the bank
have to use something quick and absolute, like
roundup which has a surfactant (hopefully only in older stock) that removes the
skin of amphibians!.
Some people use a very clever method of planting
and harvesting that works with the weeds *(sure there may be a reduced
harvest quanitity per acre, but the soil less is less and the water retention
and organic matter building up in the soil fantastically greater)
the method
means ripping the soil with a deep blade -like a yeomans plough
then planting
directly in the weedy soil with a tall
crop, taller than the weeds at harvest
time. such as corn/maize, wheat, sorghum, etc
then harvest HIGH not low on
the ground, this leaves the weeds intact.
*This method was used with great
success by Robyn Tredwell, (Rural Woman of the Year
Australia '96) She doesn’t worry about contamination of seed as she has a seed
sorting machine and uses any unwanted seed for fragile and exposed areas on her
cattle station . She has begun selling seed of native grasses and pasture
species to other farmers.
In Western Australia, Ron Watkins, a successful pastorlist and broadacre farmer, uses an organic method too. He allows the weeds to grow to protect the soil before he plants a crop, then he chips the weeds lightly to add them to the soil as green manure. Into the dying weeds he plants the crop.
NEXT STEP:
Have you considered perrenial species such as
pigeon pea which is harvested for
daal?
April
_____________________________________
Leisure Coast
Permaculture Visions
International Permaculture Teaching
Project
specialising in distance learning.
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~askpv
______________________________________
>
-----Original Message-----
> From: owner-csa-l@prairienet.org [mailto:owner-csa-l@prairienet.org]On
> Behalf Of Jay
Woods
> Sent: Tuesday, 8 September 1998 7:36
> To:
DRush35007@aol.com
> Cc: csa-l@prairienet.org
> Subject: Re: Request
for some practical tips.
>
>
> The easy answer is Round Up but
you will need to garden for three years
> before the produce can be
thought of as organic.
>
> Don't rototill. You will be
fighting weeds for a long time. What I did
> when I needed to start
with a weedy patch was plant winter rye in the fall
> and white clover in
the spring. I wasn't in a hurry to get started with
> annuals.
The perennials were being planted first.
>
> The vegetables were
dug-bed planted after two years of this. All the
> winter rye
cuttings, tree prunings, and big weeds which were hand pulled
> were
composted and used in the dug beds. The rye, clover rotation
stopped
> most of the weeds and grasses in their tracks.
>
>
---Jay
>
> On Mon, 7 Sep 1998 DRush35007@aol.com
wrote:
>
> > I have just moved into a house sitting on 1/2 acre
in Oklahoma
> City. I am
> > taking a class called Master
Gardener at the local County
> Extension. This
> > year is
my learning year for crop production. When I think I
> am ready, I
will
> > look at buying or leasing some land out of town, and
hopefully
> set up a CSA.
> > Any way I hope it is ok to ask for
a little practical advice on
> this board.
> > If not please let
me know. I am planning to start with a section of the
> > garden
about 4,000 square feet. The soil is almost pure sand,
> and
it is
> > currently covered with bermuda grass. At the Extension
they
> are telling me to
> > clear it with Round Up, ready for
fortifying and planting in
> the spring. I am
> > assuming
round up is toxic, and not desireable (I want to learn
> organic
way).
> > I suspect a cover crop, or sheet mulch may be better, but
have
> no experience,
> > so would love to hear some alternative
suggestions. Along those
> lines, I am
> > not sure if I should
get a rototiller or not. I dont know what
> is a feasible
>
> area to think in terms of spading. Again any thougts would be
helpfull.
> > Finally, any suggestions for a fall/winter vegetable
crop. It
> is currently
> > very hot, and very dry here,
but the first frost may come late October.
> >
> > Thanks from
hot and sunny Oklahoma City. If any one on the
> list is located
in
> > my neighborhood, please let me know, I am anxious to
network.
> >
> > Dave
> >
>
>