#notill — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #notill, aggregated by home.social.
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#Agroforestry may be just what #Maine needs for agricultural growth
By Marina Schauffler
Published on: January 24, 2021Excerpt: "Agroforestry, an age-old concept, could provide a path to Maine’s future. Part of the #RegenerativeAgriculture movement, it involves an integrated approach to cultivating #trees with #crops and – sometimes – #livestock. These diversified farm systems nourish #SoilHealth and #wildlife while offering more resilience in a warming world — locking up atmospheric carbon, absorbing floodwaters, and sheltering crops and animals from high winds and #ExtremeHeat.
" 'Diversity is really key to sustainability for small farms and the ecology of farms,' said vegetable farmer Max Boudreau of Winslow Farm in Falmouth. He sees many landowners and #homesteaders 'putting these principles into practice,' but said agroforestry is still 'a foreign concept' in farm service agencies.
"Being interdisciplinary, agroforestry challenges the siloed world of natural resource management. It is routinely ignored in college curricula and by technical service providers, said Meghan Giroux, an agroforestry researcher, technical service provider and practitioner in Vermont. Her nonprofit, #InterlaceCommons, seeks to fill that void by training farmers – including Boudreau – how to implement and maintain agroforestry practices.
"Boudreau was one of the 20 farmers selected among 92 applicants from around the Northeast for a free, agroforestry 'field consultancy' this year. Farmers are eager to learn about agroforestry’s potential to diversify income, and there’s growing consumer demand for its products – from nuts and uncommon fruits (like #honeyberry and #PawPaw) to #mushrooms and #MedicinalHerbs.
"Yet policymakers routinely tell Giroux there’s 'no interest in agroforestry,' she says. 'There’s no institutional will to move these practices forward primarily because people don’t understand them.'
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture has supported agroforestry since the 1990 Farm Bill and does exceptional research, Giroux feels, but “a knowledge-exchange issue” prevents guidance from reaching most landowners. A network of trained farmers could help support and train peers – a process that happens informally, Boudreau says, in the permaculture community, a related landscape design approach modeled after natural systems.
"Research has already demonstrated that #NoTill agriculture improves crop yields, reduces costs and improves soil health. Even more economic and environmental benefits could flow from cultivating crops in a layered, integrated mix of annuals and perennials more reminiscent of natural plant communities."
Full article:
https://themainemonitor.org/sea-change-agroforestry-may-be-just-what-maine-needs-for-agricultural-growth/#SolarPunkSunday #NoMonoculture #Polyculture #AgroEcology #FoodForests
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As #NewHampshire summers grow drier, farmers evolve to cope
by Molly Rains, September 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Excerpt: "Some more analog farming techniques are also crucial for drought resilience, Mathur said. A foundational element of soil health is related to how much organic material it contains, a measure boosted by additives like #compost, #manure, or #CoverCrops. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, these materials also cling to water, helping keep soil damp and cool in times of limited rainfall, she said.
"Once organic materials are present in the soil, they can be retained for longer with methods like #NoTill farming or #ReducedTill farming, in which farmers refrain as much as possible from plowing their fields. Chewing up a field before planting a crop adds air to the soil, fueling the decomposition of the important organic matter within, Delisle said. While no-till and reduced-till farming isn’t a good fit for every crop, he added, many New Hampshire farmers have had success using the method with the common local crops of corn and pumpkins.
"Preserving the organic matter in New Hampshire’s soil is important not only in times of drought but also, Delisle said, in times of heavy rain and flooding, when farm equipment can compress fields. This compacts the soil and makes it less hospitable to plants.
" 'Soils with higher organic matter in them have the capacity to spring back once they’re pressed down, and that’s an important factor in the resiliency of that soil,' Delisle said."
Learn more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hampshire-summers-grow-drier-farmers-090040658.html#SolarPunkSunday
#ClimateChangeAgriculture
#ClimateChange #Composting #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Resiliency -
As #NewHampshire summers grow drier, farmers evolve to cope
by Molly Rains, September 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Excerpt: "Some more analog farming techniques are also crucial for drought resilience, Mathur said. A foundational element of soil health is related to how much organic material it contains, a measure boosted by additives like #compost, #manure, or #CoverCrops. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, these materials also cling to water, helping keep soil damp and cool in times of limited rainfall, she said.
"Once organic materials are present in the soil, they can be retained for longer with methods like #NoTill farming or #ReducedTill farming, in which farmers refrain as much as possible from plowing their fields. Chewing up a field before planting a crop adds air to the soil, fueling the decomposition of the important organic matter within, Delisle said. While no-till and reduced-till farming isn’t a good fit for every crop, he added, many New Hampshire farmers have had success using the method with the common local crops of corn and pumpkins.
"Preserving the organic matter in New Hampshire’s soil is important not only in times of drought but also, Delisle said, in times of heavy rain and flooding, when farm equipment can compress fields. This compacts the soil and makes it less hospitable to plants.
" 'Soils with higher organic matter in them have the capacity to spring back once they’re pressed down, and that’s an important factor in the resiliency of that soil,' Delisle said."
Learn more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hampshire-summers-grow-drier-farmers-090040658.html#SolarPunkSunday
#ClimateChangeAgriculture
#ClimateChange #Composting #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Resiliency -
As #NewHampshire summers grow drier, farmers evolve to cope
by Molly Rains, September 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Excerpt: "Some more analog farming techniques are also crucial for drought resilience, Mathur said. A foundational element of soil health is related to how much organic material it contains, a measure boosted by additives like #compost, #manure, or #CoverCrops. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, these materials also cling to water, helping keep soil damp and cool in times of limited rainfall, she said.
"Once organic materials are present in the soil, they can be retained for longer with methods like #NoTill farming or #ReducedTill farming, in which farmers refrain as much as possible from plowing their fields. Chewing up a field before planting a crop adds air to the soil, fueling the decomposition of the important organic matter within, Delisle said. While no-till and reduced-till farming isn’t a good fit for every crop, he added, many New Hampshire farmers have had success using the method with the common local crops of corn and pumpkins.
"Preserving the organic matter in New Hampshire’s soil is important not only in times of drought but also, Delisle said, in times of heavy rain and flooding, when farm equipment can compress fields. This compacts the soil and makes it less hospitable to plants.
" 'Soils with higher organic matter in them have the capacity to spring back once they’re pressed down, and that’s an important factor in the resiliency of that soil,' Delisle said."
Learn more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hampshire-summers-grow-drier-farmers-090040658.html#SolarPunkSunday
#ClimateChangeAgriculture
#ClimateChange #Composting #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Resiliency -
As #NewHampshire summers grow drier, farmers evolve to cope
by Molly Rains, September 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Excerpt: "Some more analog farming techniques are also crucial for drought resilience, Mathur said. A foundational element of soil health is related to how much organic material it contains, a measure boosted by additives like #compost, #manure, or #CoverCrops. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, these materials also cling to water, helping keep soil damp and cool in times of limited rainfall, she said.
"Once organic materials are present in the soil, they can be retained for longer with methods like #NoTill farming or #ReducedTill farming, in which farmers refrain as much as possible from plowing their fields. Chewing up a field before planting a crop adds air to the soil, fueling the decomposition of the important organic matter within, Delisle said. While no-till and reduced-till farming isn’t a good fit for every crop, he added, many New Hampshire farmers have had success using the method with the common local crops of corn and pumpkins.
"Preserving the organic matter in New Hampshire’s soil is important not only in times of drought but also, Delisle said, in times of heavy rain and flooding, when farm equipment can compress fields. This compacts the soil and makes it less hospitable to plants.
" 'Soils with higher organic matter in them have the capacity to spring back once they’re pressed down, and that’s an important factor in the resiliency of that soil,' Delisle said."
Learn more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hampshire-summers-grow-drier-farmers-090040658.html#SolarPunkSunday
#ClimateChangeAgriculture
#ClimateChange #Composting #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Resiliency -
As #NewHampshire summers grow drier, farmers evolve to cope
by Molly Rains, September 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Excerpt: "Some more analog farming techniques are also crucial for drought resilience, Mathur said. A foundational element of soil health is related to how much organic material it contains, a measure boosted by additives like #compost, #manure, or #CoverCrops. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, these materials also cling to water, helping keep soil damp and cool in times of limited rainfall, she said.
"Once organic materials are present in the soil, they can be retained for longer with methods like #NoTill farming or #ReducedTill farming, in which farmers refrain as much as possible from plowing their fields. Chewing up a field before planting a crop adds air to the soil, fueling the decomposition of the important organic matter within, Delisle said. While no-till and reduced-till farming isn’t a good fit for every crop, he added, many New Hampshire farmers have had success using the method with the common local crops of corn and pumpkins.
"Preserving the organic matter in New Hampshire’s soil is important not only in times of drought but also, Delisle said, in times of heavy rain and flooding, when farm equipment can compress fields. This compacts the soil and makes it less hospitable to plants.
" 'Soils with higher organic matter in them have the capacity to spring back once they’re pressed down, and that’s an important factor in the resiliency of that soil,' Delisle said."
Learn more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hampshire-summers-grow-drier-farmers-090040658.html#SolarPunkSunday
#ClimateChangeAgriculture
#ClimateChange #Composting #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Resiliency -
#SustainableAgriculture research tour planned for July 16 at #UMaine farm in #OldTownME
June 30, 2025
Old Town, Maine — "University of Maine Cooperative Extension will hold its annual Sustainable Agriculture Research Tour on Wednesday, July 16 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the UMaine #RogersFarm Forage and Crop Research Facility, 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town and the nearby #WymansWildBlueberry Research Center.
"The event is geared toward #farmers, crop advisors and others interested in #agricultural production. Faculty and staff from UMaine’s School of Food and Agriculture and #UMaineExtension will present their field research on a variety of crops. Specific topics will include #organic #NoTill dry #bean production methods, soil health demonstrations, #CimateChange effects on wild blueberries, #agroforestry and variety trials for #forage #legumes and #potatoes.
"This event is free and pre-registration is not required. Participants will receive two pesticide certification credits and 3.5 CCA credits. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. For a detailed announcement visit the event webpage.
"Rogers Farm and Wyman’s Wild Blueberry Research Center are two of several facilities across the state that comprise the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.
"For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Thomas Molloy at [email protected].
About University of Maine Cooperative Extension:
"As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine’s #LandAndSeaGrant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety and food security. Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H which offers hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement and creates a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles."
FMI:
https://extension.umaine.edu/2025/06/30/sustainable-agriculture-research-tour-2/#SolarPunkSunday #RegenerativeAgriculture #Sustainability #FarmingInMaine #ClimateChangeFarming
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This was my first time trying a cover crop for weed suppression in the garden, and I think it's been a success!
My lazy method was to let some volunteer grass grow tall here over the winter and strim it when it had green seeds, around the end of March. Then I covered it with a tarp until it was time to plant beans in mid May. This spot previously had frequent mullein, herb robert, and grasses.
#gardening #WeedManagement #SoilBuilding #CoverCrops #NoTill