The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution

Andrew Mefferd

Description

• Co-op available
• Features in Growing for Market
• Excerpts offered to: Mother Earth News, Permaculture North America, Small Farm Canada, Acres USA, Organic Gardening
• Advertising in: Mother Earth News, Permaculture North America
• Promoted through author's network of gardening contacts
• Galley available on Edelweiss
• Publicity and promotion in conjunction with the author's speaking engagements
• Simultaneous ebook release and promotion
• Promotion on New Society Publishers social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, our blog, Pinterest, Instagram, and Youtube

• Author is the editor of Growing for Market magazine, the only national publication serving direct-to-market farmers, circulation 15,000
• He holds a BA in English and a Graduate degree in journalism
• He has been a farm operator for 15 years and spent 12 months researching the methods and techniques covered in this book
• No-till farming saves time, labor, fuel, and requires less equipment
• It increases soil organic matter, reduces erosion, boosts soil carbon sequestration
• Roughly 35% of large scale industrial farming uses chemical no-till methods
• Introduces scaled-down methods that are not reliant on chemicals
• Suitable for vegetable and flower growers farming less than an acre to a few acres or more
• Unlike industrial no-till, these methods are chemical-free and can be used for organic growing
• The author researched farmer-developed methods and interviewed leading no-till farmers to bring the benefits of cutting edge, no-till farming to natural, organic, and small farms
• Includes grower interviews and profiles to describe how various methods work
• These methods lower the barriers to beginning to farm because it drastically reduces equipment costs
• Intended Audience: market gardeners, small-scale farmers, ag-extension officers, homesteaders, people just starting out in farming, urban farmers

Learn how to use natural no-till systems to increase profitability, efficiency, carbon sequestration, and soil health on your small farm.

The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution is the comprehensive farmer-developed roadmap showing how no-till lowers barriers to starting a small farm, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency and profitability, and promotes soil health.

Farming without tilling has long been a goal of agriculture, yet tilling remains one of the most dominant paradigms; almost everyone does it. But tilling kills beneficial soil life, burns up organic matter, and releases carbon dioxide. If the ground could instead be prepared for planting without tilling, time and energy could be saved, soil organic matter increased, carbon sequestered, and dependence on machinery reduced.

This hands-on manual offers:

• Why roller-crimper no-till methods don't work for most small farms
• A decision-making framework for the four no-till methods: occultation, solarization, organic mulches grown in place, and applied to beds
• Ideas for starting a no-till farm or transitioning a working farm
• A list of tools, supplies, and sources.

This is the only manual of its kind, specifically written for natural and small-scale farmers who wish to expand or explore chemical-free, regenerative farming methods.

Foreword: The Age of Carbon by Kai Hoffman-Krull

Part One: The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution
1. Introduction
2. Understanding No-Till Systems
3. An Overview of Organic No-Till Techniques

Part Two: Grower Interviews
Mulch Grown in Place
Dan Pratt, Astarte Farm
Shawn Jadrnicek, Wild Hope Farm
Shawn Jadrnicek, "Advanced No-Till Mulching and Crimping Techniques"

Cardboard Mulch
Ricky Baruc & Deb Habib, Seeds of Solidarity Farm

Deep Straw Mulch
Andrew Schwerin, Sycamore Bend Farm
Dan Heryer & Brooke Selvaggio, Urbavore Farm

Deep Compost Mulch
Denise & Tony Gaetz, Bare Mountain Farm
Polly & Jay Armour & Jenna Kincaid, Four Winds Farm
Daniel Mays, Frith Farm
Hedda Brorstrom, Full Bloom Flower Farm
Shanon & Michael Whamond, Hillview Farms
Corinne Hansch & Matthew Leon, Lovin' Mama Farm
Mikey Densham & Keren Tsaushu, Mossy Willow Farm
Casey Townsend & Dan Morris, Natick Community Farm
Conor Crickmore, Neversink Farm
Elizabeth & Paul Kaiser, Singing Frogs Farm
Jonathan & Megan Leiss, Spring Forth Farm
Bryan O'Hara, Tobacco Road Farm

Notes
Resources: No-Till Tools and Supplies
Index
About the Author
About New Society Publishers

Sujets

• Sustainable Agriculture
• Sciences et techniques
• Daniel Mays
• Agronomy
• No-dig gardening
• General officer
• Organic farming
• Organic
• Technology
• Engineering
• General
• Agriculture
• Yield

Informations

• Publié par: New Society Publishers
• Date de parution: 05 mars 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 2
• EAN13: 9781771422727
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Advance Praise for The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution
The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution will be a game-changer for flower farmers and so many other growers, big or small. The conversational style combined with practical and proven techniques make the no-till methods described in each case study very approachable and replicable. The book emphasizes the many environmental and economic benefits of no-till farming and the fact that you do not need expensive equipment to farm intensively, organically and profitably on a small scale. If you weren t already convinced about the many benefits of organic farming, this thoughtfully written book will undoubtedly persuade you.
-Erin Benzakein, author, Floret Farm s Cut Flower Garden
This book is likely the most practical examination of no-till farming methods since Plowman s Folly . Any farmer looking to reduce-or eliminate-tillage will find fresh ideas in these pages.
-Ben Hartman, author, The Lean Farm and The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables
Although long considered the gold standard of a sustainable and resilient agriculture, the many practical challenges of organic no-till have limited its use. Mefferd s new book shares a wealth of inspiring stories of innovative small-scale organic growers who have successfully overcome those challenges to reap the benefits of organic no-till on farm and in community.
-Laura Lengnick, author, Resilient Agriculture
Many of the young people I meet who would like to get into farming are discouraged because they don t have money for land and equipment. Andrew Mefferd s new book shows that you don t need a lot of money to get started. No-till farming doesn t require expensive equipment - and it s better for the environment. I hope the case studies he presents here will convince aspiring farmers and established farmers alike to reconsider the necessity of tilling. Let the no-till revolution begin!
-Lynn Byczynski, author, The Flower Farmer and Market Farming Success
The health of our soil is a major player in the success of a more resilient agriculture. The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution is full of practical advice to change the way we grow from the ground up.
-Zach Loeks, author, The Permaculture Market Garden
The only way to produce nutrient-dense food is with healthy soil. With The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution , Andrew Mefferd provides us the template to do just that while being highly profitable. I highly recommend this book.
-Gabe Brown, regenerative farmer, rancher and author
Here is actionable information for farmers who want to increase the amount of no-till growing on their small-scale farm. You don t have to invest in expensive cumbersome machinery or be an enthusiast of permanent no-till everywhere (which is difficult in organic farming) to benefit from some very practical new tricks. Different strategies work for different farms and different crops. Andrew says in the introduction, No-till is as much about climate change as it is about soil health as it is about farm profitability. Work on all three at once with these methods. The first part of the book explains the concepts. Mulch grown in place; applied cardboard, deep straw or compost; occultation (tarping) and solarization (clear plastic) are the options covered. The main part of the book consists of in-depth interviews with seventeen farmers about what works for them.
-Pam Dawling, Twin Oaks Community, Virginia, author of Sustainable Market Farming and The Year-Round Hoophouse
Inspiring and practical advice from the front lines of the soil-health revolution.
-David R. Montgomery, author, Growing A Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back To Life.
Andrew has compiled an impressive number, and range, of actual farms making no-till work on their small farms. It s great to hear from so many farmers who are building healthy soil by replacing steel in their fields with organic matter and biology, and are reaping big harvests as a result.
-Josh Volk, slowhandfarm.com , author of Compact Farms

Copyright 2019 by Andrew Mefferd. All rights reserved.
Cover image: Digital composite illustration by Diane McIntosh: (using image elements) iStock 513708423, 521312440, 598560384, 668003964, 817298318, 827963920, 861537760, 862359710
All interior photographs Andrew Mefferd 2019, unless otherwise noted; p. 1 geraria; p. 53 Viktoriya Sukhanova/Adobe Stock.
Printed in Canada. January 2019.
Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com
Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to:
New Society Publishers
P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada
[phone]
L IBRARY AND A RCHIVES C ANADA C ATALOGUING IN P UBLICATION
Mefferd, Andrew, author
The organic no-till farming revolution : high-production methods for small-scale farmers / Andrew Mefferd; foreword by Kai Hoffman-Krull.
Includes index.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-0-86571-884-5 (softcover). - ISBN 978-1-55092-677-4 ( PDF ). - ISBN 978-1-77142-272-7 ( EPUB )
1. No-tillage - Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Organic farming - Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Alternative agriculture - Handbooks, manuals, etc. 4. Sustainable agriculture - Handbooks, manuals, etc. 5. Farms, Small - Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Hoffman-Krull, Kai, writer of foreword II. Title.
S 604. M 44 2019
631.5 814
C 2018-906456-0
C 2018-906457-9

New Society Publishers mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact upon the environment, in a manner that models that vision.
To Cleome and Jasper.
You are the future.
Contents
Foreword: The Age of Carbon by Kai Hoffman-Krull
Part One: The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution
1. Introduction
2. Understanding No-Till Systems
3. An Overview of Organic No-Till Techniques
Part Two: Grower Interviews
Mulch Grown in Place
Dan Pratt, Astarte Farm
Shawn Jadrnicek, Wild Hope Farm
Shawn Jadrnicek, Advanced No-Till Mulching and Crimping Techniques
Cardboard Mulch
Ricky Baruc Deb Habib, Seeds of Solidarity Farm
Deep Straw Mulch
Andrew Schwerin, Sycamore Bend Farm
Dan Heryer Brooke Selvaggio, Urbavore Farm
Deep Compost Mulch
Denise Tony Gaetz, Bare Mountain Farm
Polly Jay Armour Jenna Kincaid, Four Winds Farm
Daniel Mays, Frith Farm
Hedda Brorstrom, Full Bloom Flower Farm
Shanon Michael Whamond, Hillview Farms
Corinne Hansch Matthew Leon, Lovin Mama Farm
Mikey Densham Keren Tsaushu, Mossy Willow Farm
Casey Townsend Dan Morris, Natick Community Farm
Conor Crickmore, Neversink Farm
Elizabeth Paul Kaiser, Singing Frogs Farm
Jonathan Megan Leiss, Spring Forth Farm
Bryan O Hara, Tobacco Road Farm
Notes
Resources: No-Till Tools and Supplies
Index
About the Author
About New Society Publishers
Foreword: The Age of Carbon
by Kai Hoffman-Krull
The modern age could very well be termed the age of carbon. We have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than a third since the Industrial Revolution began. 1 A gas that keeps heat from the sun contained within the Earth s atmosphere, carbon dioxide makes up more than three-quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions in the world. 2 At the same time agriculture is currently experiencing a carbon crisis, with 50-70 percent of the world s carbon in farmland soils off-gassed into the atmosphere due to tillage. 3 Carbon, known as the building block of life, is the single most essential element in soil fertility as it aids in soil structure development, water retention, nutrient retention, and the biological process.
The decreased fertility from our carbon loss is occurring during a changing climate, when creating resilient crops that can withstand the stress of unpredictable weather patterns will be more important than ever before. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that global food production could be reduced by up to 17 percent by the year 2100 due to crop failures from increased weather variation. 4 The population in the year 2100 is estimated to be 11.2 billion people. 5 Finding ways to preserve the carbon in our soil is simultaneously an environmental and social piece of activism, something we can do on our farms to improve our soil health and the health of our climate.
One of the most central carbon retention practices is no-till cultivation. Tillage has contributed 792 billion tons of carbon emissions over the past 250 years. 6 In comparison, humans contributed nearly 40 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere last year. Tillage introduces unnaturally large amounts of oxygen into the soil, increasing the decomposition of organic matter. As carbon from this organic tissue is freed through the decomposition process, carbon molecules bond with the abundant oxygen introduced through tillage to become CO 2 , rising into the atmosphere.
If you ve used tillage and seen impressive results, that s because tillage is indeed providing a biological bloom momentarily in your soil. By increasing the decomposition of soil organic matter, there is a short-term rise of available labile carbon - the form of carbon that fuels the microbial machinery. While the fungal hyphae are torn and disrupted through tillage, this available labile carbon generates a