Sustainable Food Trust

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Each gram of humus can hold twenty times its own weight of water, allowing soil with high organic matter to act as a sponge to soak up heavy rain and continue to provide moisture for crops during dry conditions. Pesticides are damaging to soil, killing a range of organisms that are vital to soil health.

Food 128

Food Ploughing Pesticide Fertilizer 128

Modern Farmer

AUGUST 24, 2023

But she maintains that “organic is still really important,” and that’s why USDA organic standards, food grown without most pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, is the minimum baseline for the ROC certification. Land to Market frames its products as coming “from land that is regenerating.”

Food 98

Food Ranching Ecology Fertilizer 98

Daily Yonder

APRIL 11, 2023

One way to reduce agricultural chemicals is planting cover crops in the Fall after the cash crop is harvested. Winter cover crops could mean using less fertilizer and herbicide in the Spring. According to the authors, there are three ways to eliminate cover crops: 1) herbicides, 2) rolling and crimping, and 3) tillage.

Farming 52

Farming Farming Acre Seeding 52

Sustainable Food Trust

JANUARY 14, 2025

As news of weed killer resistant plants hits the headlines, Patrick Holden reflects on discussions at the latest Oxford Real Farming Conference, highlighting why the plough may not be the worst option when it comes to nature-friendly cultivation. The theme was how ploughing and cultivation can be good for soil health.

Ploughing 69

Ploughing Cultivation Pesticide Farming 69

Sustainable Food Trust

JUNE 14, 2023

But will the current trend away from ploughing towards direct drilling and the accompanying use of glyphosate bring the benefits advocates claim, or could this make matters even worse? Richard Young follows on from his article, Speed the plough or the direct drill and sprayer?

Ploughing 52

Ploughing Crop Yield Farming 52

RR2CS

MARCH 8, 2022

Often, in conventional agriculture, muskeg areas and sloughs are drained and ploughed. Then, we planted green manures and cover crops to help build up the topsoil again, which had been pretty depleted over the years. It’s important that we use organic varieties, as we’re hoping to grow organic certified crops.

Farming 52

Farming Farming Forage Seeding 52