|
|
|
For home gardening raised bed agriculture means: less work, less irrigation, improved soil,
higher yields and no poisons. For market gardeners, mini-farmers and
mini-ranchers it means all the above plus profits. People can have a
comfortable income, a high quality lifestyle, provide a great service to
their community and it's a great way to raise children.
RBA creates a healthy soil to grow healthy plants to provide healthy food to
feed healthy people. For the human population to be healthy, we need
to consume healthy foods [organic] which come from healthy animals eating
healthy plants grown in healthy soil [C Scheaffer, VMD/holistic].
Health:
People suffer due to very poor diets. The greatest benefit of RBA
isn't the increased yields but the better nutrition provided to the
families. This reduces their medical needs tremendously.
Agriculture is in a crisis worldwide. The Green Revolution
is not ecologically sound, economically viable or socially responsible.
The "Green Revolution", which attempted to impose inappropriate crops
and techniques in the Andes, has been a miserable failure. [The same is true
around the world. KH] Srs. I. Garaycochea and J. Palao refer to the remains
of twisted windmills, cracked irrigation canals and rusted out tractors
littering the rural countryside as the "archaeology of development". It
is ironic that the groups promoting the Green Revolution had to destroy ancient
agriculture fields, to introduce the inappropriate technology and
capital-intensive farming practices.
"The prehispanic raised fields are
classified on government maps "for wildlife use only". It is a good
thing that those ancient farmers didn't have access to those maps!"
C. Erickson, UPA.
The Green Revolution makes farmers depend on, even economic slaves to,
agribusiness and multinational corporations: Cargill\Monsanto, ConAgra,
Novartis\ADM and others. Their goal is to increase profits and to control
the world's food supply from research to production to consumer by
controling seed, fertilizers and chemicals. These seeds must have chemicals sprayed on
them to produce and the seed can not be saved for the next crop.
"These
companies tell the US patent office that the plants are novel and unique to
get a patent but they tell the FDA/EPA that that they are natural and not
new and not subject to regulations." [S. Ogden, Straight-Ahead Organics, 1999].
Other corporations are beginning to market irradiated food which may be
dangerous to our health. Most governments, USAID, most ag extension
services and ag universities in most countries help the companies by promoting the
use of their products. They are more interested in export crop production than
in food crops to feed local people.
"If I had taken what I learned about agriculture at Texas A & M University
to a third world country, I would have starved to death". Mike Sullivan, ECHO,
Ag Missions Conference 1998, quoting his son.
The world's farmers can
produce all the food the world's population requires, regardless of how
high it goes, using RBA.
Note: A salesman promotes chemical fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides,
etc and gets paided by the chemical company from the sale. Promoters of
organic gardening and farming have nothing to sell.
They were used in Asia [Indonesia, China, Vietnam, PNG], Latin
America [Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru], Europe [France] and USA
[Indians] for centuries. They are now being used in Kenya, Nigeria and a
few other countries. I saw a few in the 60's while living in Guatemala.
They are being restored in Peru and Bolivia.
"It was proven that labor costs were low, harvests were bountiful, production was sustainable
and the technology could be managed by individual families using available tools." [Bolivia]
C. Erickson, UPA.
On the Web:
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cerickso/applied.html
http://archaeology.about.com/msubfarm.htm
http://archaeology.about.com/blinterviews.htm
Regardless of the quality of the land, these principles will make it highly fertile.
- Maximize organic matter production
- Keep the soil covered
- Use zero tillage
- Maintain biological diversity
- Feed plants through the mulch.
Roland Bunch, COSECHA
Organic:
All gardeners and farmers were organic until the use of chemicals
in WW II [to kill people then, insects now]. They kill soil micro-organisms
and worms. No one has the right, moral or legal, to poison the air, soil or
water.
"Organic gardening and farming is more than avoiding chemicals. The
organic method requires a change of attitude and a different thought
process." [H. Garrett, DMN]
RBA does not require the purchase of any outside
inputs. The present generation knows nothing about raised beds or organics
because their fathers and grandfathers have used chemicals since the 1950s.
Therefore, they must be taught.
[Read: From The Good Earth, by M. Ableman,
http://www.dirtdoctor.com]
RBA allows people to feed themselves on a local basis that provides total
community food security and is a proven food production system that is ecologically
sound, economically viable, socially responsible and Biblically based.
A. Organic, biointensive, double dug, permanent raised beds which can double or
even triple the yield while reducing the labor by half compared to
traditional gardening. Using this, a family can grow all their food for a
vegetarian diet on 300 M². http://www.bountifulgardens.org
This works [USA:
Chadwick Garden & market garden, Ecology Action; CET, Chile; Manor House Ag
Center, Kenya; ECOPOL, Mexico; IIRR, Baptist Rural Life Center, Philippines]
and the proof is there for all to see. This is used by home gardeners and
small market gardeners.
B. Organic, permanent raised beds can increase yields, stop erosion and
reduce labor. Land sloping up to 75% can be farmed without erosion. I saw
them in Honduras after hurricane Mitch. This works [COSECHA & CIDICCO,
Honduras; M Fukuoka, Japan; Centro de Educacíon y Tecnología, Chile; IIRR,
BRLC, Philippines; M Cain, USA; Vietnam: VACVINA] and the proof is there for
all to see. [read Plowman's Folly, by E. H. Faulker; Weeds-Control Without
Chemicals, by Walters. Video: Necessity of Organic Resides, by R. Parnes].
This is used by
home gardeners, market gardeners and mini-farmers.
Hand labor with hand tools is used such as hoes, shovels, rakes, digging
forks, machetes.
Hand tools: Scythe - cuts grass, harvest grain; Hedge clipper - long
handles for trimming/cutting back growth of hedges, trellises, etc; Lopper
-
long handles for cutting limbs; Wheel Hoe - walk-behind with various
implements; Planter - walk-behind which drops seed; Spreader - walk-behind
which spreads fertilizer, etc.
The above boasts two advantages which no other production system can claim.
First, it is easier on the soil than mechanized methods. Second, it is the
least expensive method in terms of capital outlay. For mini-farms this
method is not only economically viable but superior to the alternatives.
Jeff Rast, Countryside, Nov/Dec 98.
C. Alley-cropping: Raised beds between rows of trees [food, oils,
chemicals, medicinals, spices, beverages, crafts, lumber, forages, firewood,
windbreaks, industrials, etc] which are a planned crop.
http://www.winrock.org
http://www.treesftf.org
http://www.unl.edu/nac
This works and the proof [USA; Nigeria,
IITA; Philippines, IIRR, BMRLC; Costa Rica] is there for all to see.
Bucket drip irrigation kits should be used during the dry season or in areas
of low rainfall. The kit [US$15 + Postage & Handling] irrigates 200 feet of vegetables by
filling a five gallon bucket each morning and each evening. Two kits will
produce all the vegetables needed for a family of seven on a vegetarian diet
[Kenya]. Bucket drip kits can be adapted to use with trees. [video: Third
World Irrigation Update, free with first kit or US$5 ppd.]
Seed:: Use open pollinated, organically grown if possible. Save your seed.
Exchange with others. http://homepage.tinet.ie/~merlyn/seedsaving.html
RBA can be used to produce flowers, dyes, vegetables, nuts, fruits, trees,
grains, fibers, herbs, spices, medicinals, oils, teas, sweeteners,
fragrances, crafts, seeds, ornamentals, bamboo, industrials [lubricants,
brooms, gums, waxes, oils, rubber, emulsifiers, paper], forages, feed
grains,
animal medicinals, livestock.
http://www.echonet.org
Use one or more of the methods outlined as they apply
to your situation.
- Home Garden/Mini-Ranch: Every home should have a garden to produce food
for the family. This assures that the family, especially the children, do
not consume chemicals. With little land, double dig for highest production.
Additional beds can be used for forages for micro-livestock and/or small
farm
animals and/or regular livestock. Use moveable pens or use cut and carry.
[Grow Food & Feed, by E. Omondi, US$10 ppd.]
- Market Garden: High value, labor intensive crops. Double dig for
highest yields.
- Mini-Farm: Additional crops requiring more land but less intensive
labor. Some are particularly adapted to value-added.
- Mini-Ranch/Mini-Dairy: Use raised beds for forage/grain. Small animals
are in pens which are over the beds and moved down the bed daily for grazing
or use cut and carry. Micro-livestock [hampsters in the kitchen, etc.] to
small livestock to cattle are grown.
Crops:
I am constantly searching for new crops and new marketing ideas for
mini-farmers. The following at successful in one or more countries and many
can be a cottage industry. I am seeking sources for seed. The following all
vary in regard to climate, soil, etc.
New Food Crops:
- Stevia. In great demand by diabetics and weightwatchers. It is a
small
bush whose leaves are 25 times sweeter than cane or beet sugar.
Non-caloric. Cottage industry.
- Crotalaria [sunhemp]
- Sweet Sorghum cane and syrup [USA]
- Naturally colored cotton [Peru].
- Tomatillo [Mexico]
- Rice: African, Floating
- Bambara groundnut
- Beans: Winged, Velvet, lablab, tropical lima
- Grains: quinoa, ammarath, buckwheat, Teff, Spelt, Emmer, Ethiopian
barley; Finger millet, Pearl millet: popping [India]
- Sorghum: popping, vegetable, red dye [India]
- Maize: sweet, parching; Kamut; Perennial
wheat;. Fonio/Acha [world's best tasting cereal!]
Industrial Crops:
- Broomcorn, brooms [USA]
- Purple maize shucks for crafts,etc
- Industrial hemp
Livestock:
Raise animals that use forages and non-human food. Use the old
native breeds of livestock who do well on forages. Use three-way cross.
- Muscovy ducks- No housing needed; little food; eats flies out of
air;
- Quail - Major source of meat in some areas.
- Water buffalo - milk producer, cheese.
- Rabbits, Angora - hair for weaving
- Miniature livestock - 15 breeds available. Several countries have
native miniatures.
Value-added:
- Grains, stone ground
- Oil seed, cold pressed
Marketing:
There is a worldwide, grassroots movement to buy local, buy fresh and buy
organic.
- Farm stand or curbside stand: Customers coming to you is low cost
marketing. People will drive to a farm to buy fresh food.
- Farmer's Markets: They are in every country from one day per week to
several days per week. Three days per week is best. They are the fastest
growing means of marketing today
- CSA-Community Supported Agriculture: Customers pre-purchase shares of
produce.
- Cooperatives: Enables the mini-agriculturists to work together to do
what
they can't do individually in marketing and/or value-added processing.
[example-cheese making, jelly, etc]
- Cottage industries/value-added: Use family labor to process in some way
what
is grown to increase the selling price. Examples: solar dried
fruit/vegetables, jams/jellies, crafts, milk/cheese, dried flowers, etc.
[equipment manufacturers: Cecoco, Japan]. I visted the farm of a woman in
Honduras who grows, harvest, hulls, roast and bags her own coffee. She
markets it only in her own community.
RBA has the potential to provide many benefits to cities - in
nutritional improvement, hunger reduction, income generation, enterprise
development and environmental enhancement. The poor and unemployed can grow
their own food. Farming converts degraded and unkept vacant lots into
healthy, green areas. Waste [grass, leaves, trees, sawdust, manure, food
waste] can be composted and used on the farms. City governments must
recognize the potential of urban agriculture and accord it the status given
to other industries and economic activities in the city. Urban Ag Network:
URBANAG@compuserve.com; Read: Urban Agriculture: Food, Jobs and Sustainable
Cities; A Patch of Eden, H P Hynes, 1996. Cultivating Havana: Urban
Agriculture. 1999, Food First. 25% to 75% of all the food consumed within
the large cities is produced within those cities.
Much of the land farmed by small, family farmers is usually the
worst available: in the tropics the land may slope up to 75°, has been mined of its
nutrients and the farmer has no choice. RBA is the answer: no or little
outside inputs are needed and only family labor. In Honduras, land with a 73° slope,
using raised beds, had no eroison during hurricane Mitch.
"A difference is noticeable
in even one year [using raised beds]. Terracing, rock walls, grass/tree
borders, etc are not necessary. The beds plus green manure/cover
crops/mulching controls erosion. When widely adopted, it generates
sufficient income to stop immigration to the cities, raises land values and
community health improves." [COSECHA].
People must understand that being a farmer, a granjero, fazendeiro o campesino, a
fermier is honorable.
Copyright © 2000 Ken Hargesheimer
| Site design: |  |
|
|
 |
