Sustainable Agriculture
There’s a new style of farming that is gaining popularity worldwide. It comes with the ambitious name: sustainable agriculture. Just what does it mean and who needs sustainable agriculture? Read on – it’s an exciting new approach to the old practice of having large farms that produce only one or two crops or animals. That old style of farming uses enormous amounts of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers that can damage our soils, water, air, and climate. As a result, more and more farmers are taking a different approach to farming – one more economical and sustainable.
What is sustainable agriculture? It is more adaptable, works for a range of farm sizes and produces a much more diverse range of foods, fibers, and fuels. It uses state-of-the-art, science-based practices that maximize productivity and profit while minimizing environmental damage. Sustainability also means the whole farm is more resilient to droughts, floods, and other impacts of climate change. A great deal of new evidence is suggesting that sustainable farming models can be just as productive and profitable as older methods of farming.
Practices of Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agricultural has many facets. A common practice is to rotate crops and plant a diversity of crops, including growing a mix of crops in the same area. Practitioners find many benefits including healthier soil and improved pest control. The key theme connecting many of these practices is diversification. When it comes to agriculture, the most sustainable and productive systems are more diverse and complex—like nature itself.
Cover crops
Cover crops and perennials keep soil covered and maintain healthy soil year-round. These crops protect and build soil health by preventing erosion, replenishing soil nutrients, and keeping weeds in check, reducing the need for fertilizers and herbicides. The wide use of cover crops can also greatly reduce the temperature of topsoil, allowing beneficial microbes to flourish. Cover crops can be chosen to suit your climate and conditions. Favorite cover crops include winter rye, buckwheat, sorghum, crimson clover, and hairy vetch. A little research and comparison of notes with other farmers may lead you to the best choice for your operation.
Reducing or eliminating plowing.
Traditional plowing prepares fields for planting and prevents weed problems but can cause soil loss. No-till or reduced-till methods, which involve inserting seeds directly into undisturbed soil, can reduce erosion and improve soil health. These planting methods do require special equipment like disc seeders or agricultural drills to insert the seed in the soil with the least am0unt of disturbance to the top layer. No-till agriculture reduces soil erosion. Tillage breaks the earth’s surface and turns it over, moving the cover layer inside. As a result, the bare soil is subject to erosion because of the loosened structure. Deprived of cover matter, it is subject to quick erosion due to water and wind.
Integrate Pest Management
By using integrated pest management, a range of mechanical and biological controls, can be applied. Pests can be plants, animals, insects, or a bacteria, virus or fungus causing disease. Pest management in sustainable agriculture focuses on long term prevention. By researching the environmental factors affecting a pest, the management strategy can be tailored to create unfavorable conditions and reduce the possibility of future outbreaks. That helps to keep pest populations under control while minimizing use of chemical pesticides. Instead of solely depending on reactive control methods, integrated pet management utilizes the extent of research available to help reduce the possibility of debilitating infestations in the future. The focus is on prevention rather than all out eradication. It’s a more natural method of pest control that helps save the environment from extra chemicals and poisons.
Integrating livestock and crops.
Big industrial agriculture tends to keep plant and animal production separate. the result being that animals live far from the areas where their feed is produced. What’s more, crops are growing far away from abundant manure fertilizers. The new trend is a smart integration of crop and animal production can make farms more efficient and profitable. The animals provide natural fertilizer and help clean up the fields after harvest.
Watering
When it comes to watering your livestock, a Drinking Post fits right into sustainable farming practices. A Drinking post is able to remain frost free without additional heaters or electronic elements. You eliminate high electric bills with a Drinking Post. Plus, you avoid the danger of possible electric shock and the ever-present specter of structure fires due to electrical malfunctions
Since all the water drains away from the drinking bowl after each use, there is never any standing water in the unit. Since there’s no standing water, there’s nothing in the bowl to freeze! That’s how we’re able to keep it frost-free year round without using any electricity. Also, since the Drinking Post fills with new, fresh water with every single use, it stays incredibly clean! The animals love the fresh, clean water and you won’t have to spend your time cleaning it to keep it that way. No standing water means no freezing, but it also means no algae growth! There is never any algae growth in the Drinking Post.
How Do We Do It?
How do we accomplish it? The Drinking Post works a lot like a frost-free yard hydrant. The base of the Drinking Post is buried 18″ below the local frostline and is connected directly to a pressurized waterline. So, all the water comes up from below the frostline and then drains back down below the frostline. When the animal is thirsty, they will walk up to an empty bowl. They will push the paddle and water will start to fill the bowl immediately. They will start drinking as the bowl is filling. Then, when they are finished, they release the paddle and any water that was not consumed will drain back down below the frostline into a leach field directly below the Drinking Post.
As you continue to adopt new farming practices, stay with Drinking Post Automatic Frost-Free Livestock Waterers. We bring you the simplest answer to livestock watering and conservation of resources. Read more today at: https://dpwaterer.com/faq/ Be certain to leave a comment below and share this article with the social media links provided