For a complete PDF file of the Elysian Fields Project, click here!
The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project, Copyright 1997-2006 © A.H. Tuttle & Company.
The
following describes an ongoing Experimental Agricultural Model involving the
use of Natural Pasture Cropping Farming Methods, Keywords: ASIT, TRIZ, TESS, BMP,
SPBD, SPDES, CNMP, AFO, CAFO, Best Management Practice, Alternative Farming
System, Biological Farming, Gary F. Zimmer, Genrich Altshuller, Heuristics,
Pasture, Sod Based Cropping, Sustainable, Natural Farming, Masanobu Fukuoka,
Seed-Pellets, Seed Pelleting, Grazing Management, Andre’ Voisin, Sir Albert
Howard, Robotic Milking, Straw-bale, Pasture, The Elysian Fields and Pasture
Project, Pasture as Housing, Bedded Pack, Compost, Pastoral
Resources, Dairy, Sward, Sprawl, Agritourism, Environmental
Stewardship, Municipal Planning, Open Space Planning, Green Space, Smart
Growth, Royal A. Purdy, Pasture Cropping, Sow Seeding, Herbal Ley, Ley, Ley
Farming, Fertility Pasture, Pasture Walk, Out-wintering, Lime-Stabilized Soil,
Fodder, Norwegian - Swedish Hay trellis, Indore Process, A. J. Hosier, Hosier’s
Farming System, Fence, Fencing, High Tensile, Hay Rack, Hay Trellis, Proctor's
Tripod System, Buck Rake, Loose Hay, Weatherproof Haymaking,
Fertility Farming, F. Newman Turner, Nomadic, Post Driver, Canandaigua,
Farmington, Ontario County, Rochester, Western New York, Finger Lakes, New
York,
Selected
Elements of
The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project ©
(01/01/2006 - Edited Edition)
An Electronic dossier rendered for the service of:
Clear Choice © Land and Pasture Asset Management Services
and
Purdy View Farms
1007 County Road # 8
Farmington, New York 14425
Ongoing Online Discussion at www.ahtuttle.com
Written by Royal A. Purdy
The Elysian Fields and Pasture Project, © Copyright 1997-2006 © A.H. Tuttle & Company.
Sustainable
Technologies Through Innovation
A.H.
Tuttle and Company Family of Business’s
Engineered High Tensile
Systems
Heavy Duty Post Driver System 
Heuristic Research and
Development
Glossary
Part 1
A Special Note; Forward
Background and
Objectives
Cause For the
Development of the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project
Short Sighted Remedies
The Elysian Fields Name
The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project
Activities: A Call for
Dynamic Environmental Systems Change
Part 2
Masanobu
Fukuoka and
“Natural Farming”
Fukuoka’s Four
Principals
Seed Pellets
Preparation of
Seed-Pellets
Successes Using Seed
Pellets in a Pasture Sod Cropping Environment
F. Newman Turner and “Fertility Farming”
Weather Proof Haymaking
and Harvesting
Sir Albert Howard, and the Indore Composting Process
Genrich Altshuller
/ TRIZ Technology
TRIZ 40 Principles
S Curves of Development
ASIT- Advanced
Systematic Inventive Thinking
Evaluation of the System Solutions via Holistic Management
Part 3
Results: Further
Pasture Sub-systems and Elements employed
Quality High Tensile
Wire Fence and Installation Devices
Biomass Grid
Strawbale Structure
Utilization in Conjunction with Bedded Packs
Strawbale Designs and
Pasture as Housing
Pasture Infield Harvesting Apparatus, Trellis Curing, Feed Storage, and Feed out
Pasture
Mobile Milking Parlor or Bale, and Milk Handling Utilities.
Pasture
Mobile Robotic Milking Stations
Pasture
Slaughter Facilities and Compost
In Sod
Step-In Tombstone Feed Bunks, Comfort Stalls and Stanchions
Invisible
Sub-Perimeter Fence For Pastured Cows, Mobile Bunk-Line Feeder
In-Field
Water – Air Conditioning
Pasture
Laneways, Lime Stabilized Staging Areas, Water And Sewer Systems
Part 4
Financials:
Elements
effects on Farm Income Statements and Balance Sheets
Side by Side Pasture Dairy Farm Comparisons
Part 5
Conclusions:
Initiatives In Future Pasture Super System Design
“…..animal
units between 10 and 10,000 or more…..”
A
Sustainable Municipal Solution, Available To All
Footnotes,
Resources, Suggested Reading
Part 1
A
Special Notes section concerning this Winter – Spring 2006, 10th
edition
Again the title name, “The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project”.
I have received many requests this year for updates;
Prototype testing will continue ongoing.
I am continuing to add to the written works of F.
Newman Turner to the main body of this edition of the Project, and to include
gleanings of his written works: Fertility Pastures and Fertility
Farming concerning leys and other topics as I find them of a useful utility
and basis for transition and beyond, utilizing biological pasture cropping
functions.
With this edition, F. Newman Turner’s references to Sir
Albert Howard writings have lead to the introduction of our adaptation of the
Indore Composting Process’; and A. J. Hosier’s “Dairy System”, both studies
from early twentieth century written works.
Continuing also with this revision is the further
inclusion of a series of short “Problem Statements” and their assigned
“Solutions” laced throughout the document in a boxed border format.
Forward, by Royal A. Purdy, The “Real” Man from Elysian Fields
I continuously seek out chances to comment and relay to others about the (often updated) contents of this document and its contained subsystems editorials. A number of years ago, I set about opening up a website discussion forum, dedicated to the subject matter; often attempting to explain, capture or compare the overall scope of various “next generation pasture systems” conceptual design and planning, traditional western agricultural perceptions of a proposed pasture ley and nomadic harvest system verses that of other nations and other ages and other cultures historic solutions, and current pasture and pasture cropping systems’ limiting factors to the elements being developed for, and / or which are currently contained in this private agribusiness experimental model now known as: “The Elysian Fields and Pasture Project”. I think interested people, both he and she dairy, beef and too commodity (perhaps organic) crop farmers interested in remaining competitive within their industry in an open minded and open-ended sustainable manner and now too (increasingly) non-farmers interested in promoting preservation of sustainable agriculture and open spaces within their sub-urban and other municipal neighborhoods via a uniquely viable form hybrid vision aspect of community supported agriculture (CSA), and others; would all welcome the chance to know what is perhaps another alternative available for their considerations within this document for them.
The ongoing open–resource (an often updated document) architecture adaptation of the Project model presented here, is a somewhat modified variant of A. H. Tuttle and Company’s – Purdy View Farms and Clear Choice © Land and Pasture Management’s current private sustainable agricultural based mission statement (The Full business plan, further confidential documents, business database input and output information, financial data, subscription list, future intents, and third party contracted managed inputs of the “Clear Choice © Land Management” portions remain proprietary and have all been edited for content or deleted entirely); This document remains however a viable illustration of the commercial (dairy) farm plan aspects that where in the past and are currently being developed for our business’ (A. H. Tuttle and Company) own purpose; as such, it still happens to influence and directly reflect my personal intentions concerning agribusiness, statesmanship and that as a custodian of the land. The models’ subject matter exists as various obtainable select “elements” of personal direction and reflection; gleaned or derived from personal historic study or inventive development, and practiced first person application experiences or technical observation at both my families’ former working farms and that of the outside world. I would hope, it offers a rewarding, environmentally sound and profitable agricultural enterprise model for those who can, and choose to, consider applying the projects’ principles to their own circumstance. But, just as these elements have year-by-year come to be more “in focus”, so too is the realization that actual wide spread utilization of the same model methods may never occur. Folks tend to resist change; and it’s a free country. However, after over thirty years of practical daily dairy farm and agricultural pasture exposure, nearly twenty of which where in control if my family’s’ dairy herd and dairy facilities; I’ve come to trust my judgment of the projects’ capabilities.
Although the model is comprehensive by intent and design, not all the selected methods or numerous elements involved in the project and /or included here are thoroughly tested on or envisioned adaptable for every farm site and dairy farm enterprise situation our dairy farm or others business’ will encounter; however they all do, and will continually represent my personal best attempt in approaching and developing practical applicable and theoretical implementation solutions involving the present modern logistical challenges facing area dairy, livestock, and crop farm type agriculturalists, area municipal, and area environmental design planners and engineers, as well as into the future. The first edited draft of this document was written in December of 1997; and as of this writing (it is now fall 2005), the document is in its eighth draft.
Among the many selected elements of the model, GRAZING
PASTURES, and perhaps more correctly TREATING PASTURES AS ANIMAL
HOUSING SYSTEMS is by far the
strongest “given priority”, and in my (Finger Lakes) region of
Upstate New York, U.S.A. (I believe throughout much of the greater Great
Lakes Watershed region of the US and Canada, perhaps other regions) when
properly applied, it is often “the highest order, and best”
of planned continual agricultural land use from an economic and environmental
stance for both farmers and non- farmers alike; making for a truly marketable
and valuable regional area asset of the highest order of development for all
involved. I don’t mean to be a pundit, and I fully realize that over time
the model may become modified and / or
it’s direction (perhaps by so doing) may come to be in conflict or ere, for I
do not pretend to be an expert administrator in such matters; I do believe
however the greater known and developed elements of principle concerning long
term maximized use of properly grazed and fully functional pasture systems to
be basically quite valid and sound; perhaps to have conceptual attributes
beyond the pasture itself. Sincerely -
Royal Anson Purdy , The Elysian Fields and Pasture Project
To
my parents
They
worked hard
and
sacrificed much
for
their children,
Background:
During Blueshift
Instruments’ (a division of A. H. Tuttle and Company) research and development
of a dairy (robotic adaptable) automation device called “TESS” technology
between the years 1983 – 1989, it became obvious to me that pastures
afforded as genuine a dairy automation technology delivery and staging
platform as easily as any standard available confinement dairy housing
sub-system; but it wasn’t until 1991 and latter when I was studying future
expansion alternatives for the then “Purdy View Farms Registered Holsteins”
dairy farm complex that I came to further assemble and put down to writing the
realization that pasture systems held a genuine promise of a vast array
of complete state of the art staging and implementation solutions to our dairy
animal housing challenges regarding dynamic dairy enterprise expansions as
well. These alternative future expansion methods where complied, scheduled, and
intended to be submitted to my partners in 1991, but the plan and the limited
number of system attributes where never to see disclosure or implementation.
In May of 1997 as I
watched a pasture based dairy farmer move his dairy herd at midday from one
paddock stay to the next, I observed (and came to fully realize) the ease at
which he and other graziers accomplished tasks infield to the benefit of man
and animal; It was only then I came to visualize the historic and future social-ecological
status that pastured dairy farms would provide if exploited and used as a total
housing medium. Pastures and grazing had come full circle with their historical
past. Within six months of observing the pasture dairy farmer, I had begun
reinstalling traditional pasture systems on my own farmland, and within another
six months, was “learning the ropes” working fulltime installing high end
engineered pasture fencing and high tensile systems all across New York State.
Objectives: The development of this The
Elysian Fields and Pasture Project is not intended as a “How to” document.
The intent of the project is however to discover and publicize utility methods
and devices that will permit the broadest multi-use of pasture in a near
sustainable manner across various needs; among these needs, to serve as a
profitable alternative model for dairy-crop farms and also for those
municipalities seeking to further legitimize and finance open spaces in the
face of urban sprawl or open space mandates.
Description and
Rationale: By design, huge dynamic, self
evident environmental benefits often follow proper modern grazing techniques.
These qualities are currently thought to be involving Soil Retention, Carbon,
Nutrient, and Water (Hydraulic) Retention and their subsequent availability,
Increased Soil Organic matter percentages, Effluent Odor Reduction, Profitable
and Affordable Open Spaces Vista Maintenance, and Wildlife Habitat improvement
as well as that of enhancing the holistic human spirit of graziers and the
public at large.
Aside from common fencing
methods, forage types, water delivery and animal laneway access support systems
there is - or - it seems to be, a lack of focus on the development of further
sustainable pasture and pasture cropping support sub-systems technologies. The
Elysian Fields and Pasture Project focus is on those tangent theory elements
that may serve to improve and broaden the scope of pasture and pasture cropping
usage.
Relevance of the document
is to Ontario County, New York State and appropriate regions within the
temperate Northeastern United States, perhaps elsewhere: The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project is not intended for the faint at heart. Additionally, initially
it promises to be extremely challenging, often difficult to manage, and carry
some risks; and by this I mean, I believe many current
conventional farming perceptions will need to be “untaught” to an exceeding
mass of people, both agriculturalists and non-agricultural persons; it’s
management is more suited to the artistically inclined, yet it requires much
analytical thought as well.
Despite its many
challenges, the project is however designed to be valid and consistent
throughout many phases. It is also my belief and desire that this dairy
intensive grazing pasture model work with any number of dairy cow equivalent
animal units between 10 and 10,000 or more; If so, this model then could mimic
or surpass in terms of profit value and opportunities that of a typical large
modern dairy cattle confinement models’ and their own virtuous implied
net cost lowering capabilities, with as much overall validity for
sustainability if not more so.
The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project is not however limited to ruminate dairy cattle inputs and
exploitation - as dairy heifers, beef, dairy and meat goats and sheep, veal,
and non-ruminate Ostrich/rhea/emu, pigs, and
chickens, etc. (or any combination of organic on farm feed, feed grains,
production and / or processing of produce, grains, bread, cheese and meat,
etc.) would work quite well within the model also. The model invites seasonal
production, biological and pasture cropping and allows for, indeed embraces,
sustainable, natural, or organic production methods as well.
Natural Farming originator Masanobu Fukuoka says, “With very determined
observation, there is always a way”. As of this writing I believe he is still
alive and forever will be a very highly respected natural organic farming
theorist. Although his writings understandably often carry a tone slightly
critical of technology, I encourage people to sample them, as his methods are
omni-dimensional. It is up to us as both individual graziers and municipal land
planners, to realize the total benefits of pasture grazing and make the most
from natural and solar energies by doing less (a trimming effect), to the
benefit of man, animal and nature.
Cause For the Development of the Elysian
Fields and Pasture Project
Some very important reasons for developing, utilizing
and later choosing to openly publish the abbreviated utility elements of the
model here for others, would be the personal heart felt desire and need to
forward advise all dairyman landowners that, in part, I believe
A.) Many of the larger and expanding - traditional confinement dairy and other animal confinement systems, especially those involving any type of permanently enclosed animal containment sub-systems … not utilizing properly managed pasture to the fullest… regardless of date of design or establishment, eventually will risk failure socially, economically, and / or environmentally, absolutely, due to decisions based on existing inherently incomplete or flawed design elements and invalid considerations, some that have in the past, still are, and in the foreseeable future will continue to be promoted and indeed often mandated by our government services and private enterprise personal.
B.) I wish for the natural and holistic goals of the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project utility methods and techniques to be further recognized by agriculturalists, municipal development and land use planners, developed to a usable format, deployed and promoted without unnecessary commercial or governmental entanglements. The results studied, the data recorded and viable content (if any) deliberately exposed to a ever wider audience of farmers and non-agriculturalists alike, as an added alternative means of animal and plant production and on a level playing field, promoted fairly and equal to any and all recognized legitimate BMP (Best Management Practices) practices, and indeed to be counted as such.
The continued absence of viable and widely used sustainable alternative agricultural production means, such as are presented in the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project Model, only fuels the establishment of and (with time) often succumbs to, current, oft impudent conventional mainline agri-technologies, (and their traditional associated problems) such as suggested in the agri-commercial and domestic self promotion use of “balances” between and concerning synthetic fertilizers, agri-chemicals, primary tillage machinery, and unbridled seed and plant biotechnology. In turn and as a result, these relatively high cost, promoted, advertised and highly supplemented myopic conventional agri-technical, mimicking systems mistakenly endure as the only supposed available future means to render animal and plant production from solar and earth bound input energies and thus, ultimately, feed the world; while the truth is rather, that these “Elysian Fields and Pasture Project” type alternative systems’ suggested virtuous methods simply where never truly developed and widely recognized to contrast and compare to.
C.) My personal farming interests are based in Upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region (U.S.A.). This area, for many reasons, is a modern challenge for all farmland owners, and on that very basis; for as actively and non-actively farming landowners, many are succumbing to supporting infrastructure loss and suburban sprawl pressures in various dynamic forms and on multiple area fronts; ….yet it is on this basis that the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project Plan is actually designed to endure and expand. Large and Small tract farm retiring landowners, non-farmers, municipalities and land use planners, and lay person citizens are all looking for solutions to a common problem: What to do with formerly productive farmlands and other small and vast acreages that would now otherwise sit idle or succumb to various costly urban development sprawl pressures and standard dynamic development problems within a community without a viable prepared alternative solution presenting itself as an alternative to the myopic standards of conventional farming means.
I am a practiced Dairyman - Landowner. I currently make a living, in
part, as a consultant, sales and service provider to vineyard, orchard farm and
pasture landowners professional inquires regarding various high tensile wire
(as well as Fence, Horse, Dairy, Sheep, Beef, Goat, Trellis, Pasture, and Post
Driver device) sub-systems utility design applications and uses. A very common
observation consistent among many of these various owners circumstance is the
seemingly limited resolve to apply solutions readily available to them
involving the exploitation of these various potentially profitable (i.e.
pasture and pasture cropping) systems. Primary among the resulting
misconception(s) and unknown to many, is that Pastures and Pasturing
properly applied, is perhaps “the highest order, and best” of any land use,
from Central Park in Manhattan NYC, to rural pastures statewide, and so
I do in a commercial capacity- inform – or otherwise promote The Elysian Fields
and Pasture Project to my client base and publicize the www.ahtuttle.com website and it’s contained
discussions.
D.) I feel urban sprawl seems most often to breech strategic rural - suburban contact points and purge new territories based on traditional and reoccurring (but I think inaccurate) themes and assumptions involving farm profitability potentials, and to include human – animal interaction environmental voids, and land acquisition convenience. I believe that most of today’s farm and non-farm owner persons alike (that is to say, at least two sides of the issue) located on or near these reoccurring themes of “High Pressure” or land use “in transition” areas are wholly unaware of, and so (and within their rights to be) unprepared to take advantage of changes in the paradox of obtainable and potentially profitable total pasture paradigm shift that these pasture (Elysian Fields and Pasture Project) systems offer via land mass maintenance to all involved party interests. As a result it is too often assumed (and ignorance exploited) by many including observant interested 3rd parties that acquisitions of “nearby available farmlands” are inevitable or fodder for conflict and contradiction; and are also based mostly, if not solely, on the inaccurate premise of (or a lack of) current perceived low or non-existent net values of farmland profitability or serve the larger purpose via municipal attributes and development potentials.
See also: “The Potential of Dairy Grazing to Protect
Agricultural Land Uses and Environmental Quality in Rural and Urban Settings”
by Bryan T. Petrucci, American Farmland Trust, Email: bpetrucci@niu.edu,
Much of what is advocated
by the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project from a municipal development
standpoint is highlighted or mirrored in this one paper.
There is much valid
argument to allowing Pasture and Pasture Cropping (in the “Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project” style and methods) as a “Special Use” and even an “allowed
use” within sub-urban areas Zoned Commercial and Residential within the entire
Finger Lakes Region, if used for the purpose of creating and maintaining a viable
Holistic goal of open spaces and maintained by a dedicated pasture based set of
BMP’s.
It is clear from my
personal study that the intent of Federal EPA and New York State DEC
Environmental law invites and protects an environmental and social economic solution
and subsequent proper legal implementation along the line of the Elysian Fields
and Pasture Project super system (ambient nomadic pasture and pasture cropping
utilization among both urban housing and industrial zoned areas) methods and
techniques.
The National NPDES (In New York State, administered by NYDEC, and referred to as the SPDES permit) program regulates the discharge of pollutants from point sources to waters of the United States. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are point sources, as defined by the CWA [Section 502(14)]. To be considered a CAFO, a facility must first be defined as an Animal Feeding Operation (AFO).
Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) are agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. AFOs generally congregate animals, feed, manure, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Feed is brought to the animals rather than the animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures. Animal waste and wastewater can enter water bodies from spills or breaks of waste storage structures (due to accidents or excessive rain), and non-agricultural application of manure to cropland. AFOs that meet the regulatory definition of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) have the potential of being regulated under the NPDES permitting program.
An animal feeding operation (AFO) is a lot or facility (other than an aquatic animal production facility) where the following conditions are met:
- Animals have been, are, or will be stabled or
confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any
12-month period, and
- Crops, vegetation, forage growth, or
post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normal growing season over
any portion of the lot or facility.
An operation must meet the definition of an AFO before it
can be defined or designated as a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO).
Previous EPA regulations based the definition of CAFOs on the number of
"animal units" confined. EPA no longer uses the term "animal
unit," but instead refers to the actual number of animals at the operation
to define a CAFO.
Short Sighted Remedies
When “Best Management Practices” fall short of intended goals
“Best Management
Practices” or “BMP’s” as defined by many government services (EPA, NRCS, etc.) are highly recognized technological designs and
engineering methods developed in an effort to solve common repeating
environmental problems and circumstance. Regardless of technological scope and
intent, these systems often are, but are not always exacting long-term
solutions; they do sometimes seemingly evolve into stopgap type measures, and
often without proper monitoring and in hindsight, become misdirected or
misapplied actions altogether. It can then be understood or assumed that they,
(these BMP’s) can often with time, and a lack of careful foresight planning and
or monitoring, fall far short of original purpose or oftentimes may convert a
circumstance to be regarded as actually being harmful or otherwise “Not
in the best interest” of a farm entity, and thus the environment, and
so too the general public. Oftentimes involved parties would be wise to employ
more dynamic and often less costly and more effective long-term sustainable
methods from the start. Two recent cases in point:
(The Adams Poultry Case)
Recently in a nearby agricultural district watershed, a longtime established
poultry farmer experienced the significance of contradiction science firsthand
in a most unpleasant way. USDA officials had in recent years advised this
individual to develop a state of the art “modern” manure composting facility,
and in the interim, spread that facilities’ current developing chicken manure
effluent over a wider area of land to solve for the ever-growing presence of
elemental phosphorus reflected in his traditional farm field’s soil tests as a
direct result of repeated poultry manure applications on his farm over the many
years. Fine; the manure in various grades of composted refinement was then
spread over a larger local farm area to eventually include newly leased lands.
Shortly there after however, a long period of rain and wet weather’s effects on
the non-sod, tilled croplands prevented the usual protocol of heavy
machine tillage that normally was used in this person’s enterprise to till
under and bury any newly exposed (machine ) ground-applied or injected manure
effluent. Subsequently manure odors (Environmental Air Pollution)
and flies overwhelmed the situation and the now newly acquired neighbors of the
effected leased lands followed through with knee-jerk logic, and complained to
local authorities. The story reached (literally) the world press. What this
farmers situation warns us of after the fact and advises us to take heed of, is
that often we tend to solve for one environmental problem (in this case environmental
soil pollution in the form of excess elements as measured by soil tests),
only to contribute detrimentally and sometimes in unforeseen ways to other
problems (his or her neighbors’ environmental air quality, as measured by their
noses).
A Postscript to the above
story. The Adams Poultry Farm has since completed installing the large separate
(at great expense and partially government subsidized) manure treatment
(compost) facility designed to enhance the value of byproduct poultry manure by
converting it into a compost type product meant for resale. In short excessive
containment and commingling of manure is not always the complete solution.
(The Southview Dairy Case) Ground Water Contamination alleged.
http://www.nyenvlaw.com/southview.htm
The above problems are now notorious locally and classic among conflicts involving modern agricultural practices and can clearly be seen with casual observation to have been brought about mainly in these cases by the combined artificial acts of 1) commingling excess (or excessive) compound nutrients (year-round containment in the form of a manure storage device that converts aerobic manure into an anaerobic slurry) and 2) trying unsuccessfully to use this commingled slurry effluent to supplement soil nutrients and crops plant seasonally peaked nutritional needs in an intense, relative short period of time, which resulted in a condition that perhaps temporarily, but predictably led to lowered surrounding air, ground, and water environmental quality. These scenarios will repeat themselves time and time again across the land. Each time risking that steps will be taken by the powers that be to reevaluate the rules governing rural farm systems and I fear the farm systems will likely suffer, perhaps from adverse rule making that erodes little by little farmers current rights, privileges and entitlements.
It has become difficult
for government, extension or social entities to oversee every aspect of the
above problem disciplines (although they try); no one agency governs, oversees,
or administers advice to all disciplines (nor should they). We are burdened by
a morass of government agencies that may still lack the resources to foresee all
potential problems. Any form of BMP (containment) correcting measures can be
reduced to a utilization theorem, but so can ambient pasture utilization.
Properly and highly utilized pastures by themselves tend to solve and manage a
broad array of environmental problems ambient; further as compared to
conventional confinement systems, pastures change a great deal of the dynamics
of potential problems to simpler or simply different arguments, thus they tend
to lessen the focus of traditional agricultural environmental problem areas by
taking the systems problem out of phase with the encroaching conflict. I leave it up to each reader to judge and
decide which is the best, most efficient, and most sustainable environmental
management practice to enhance or explore.
The Elysian Fields and
Pasture Project recommends in part, a proactive approach based on the use of
pasture cropping, ambient pasture housing stays and animal care-taking
involving bedded pack loose housing and composting in-place. I do not
pretend that the degree and type of pasture utilization (All Season Nomadic
Housing Systems) proposed within the project to be an exclusive, eager or
easier managerial system method; …or for that matter without risk. I
suppose no dairy farm can be regarded as an “easy” or “risk free” chosen path
in life.
Additionally, (and I
can’t stress this enough) practitioners considering this path (especially
in early stages of the process) need to use their best and clearest
judgment as to the actual viability of each situation encountered by the model
in balance with their own actual abilities and that of their resource base. The
model from the start suggests or promises to be very management intensive. Only
with continued practice and use will the methods become “clearer”, more routine
and obvious and perhaps more importantly, the further validity of subtle
contained attributes come to be realized; Still, envisioning free individuals
working 365 days per year outside on pastureland, any one of 180 days of which
in this region may be in the harshest elements of winter or cold wet muddy
weather (or brutally hot and humid) to be found, do nothing to arouse early
subscription to the models plan, even among the person who wrote the model.
Yet, while in my (NYS) region of the country you may look rather foolish setup
outdoors in February and March every year fighting a gambit of logistical
elements; you do however look rather like a noble genius come May - June and
the better part of the rest of the year… rewarded by your earlier endeavors and
foresight.
I should interject here
that one needs to look far beyond common pastures as simply being that of a
seasonal (“intensive grazing”) feed source, as I believe there are many
valuable resources to be found within the concept of pasture super-systems
beyond the seasonal feed content alone. I do feel all dairy farms choosing to
utilize pastures to the fullest ample extent possible to their own circumstance
can continue to be as comfortable, profitable and competitive an agri-business
and agri-cultural venture as any dairy farm enterprise ever has
been, hostile summer heat, and winter cold and wet “mud” weather included; if
not more so.
Getting beyond the above
traumatic visions and nightmares; I believe the system can eliminate some
traditional assumed costs associated with dairy and cropping enterprises’ and
minimize or control some of the newly fixed and variable developed costs
inherent with these technologies broader utilization. I believe also that
current modern pasture dairy farm operations under pressure including that from
of urban sprawl, but utilizing the presented Elysian Fields and Pasture Project
Models’ precepts are capable of being (hugely) socially and environmentally
rewarding for many. I believe the overall majority of farms near or in the path
of municipal infrastructure development (transportation, industrial or
residential, or services, etc.) can and will, if practicing and focusing on
actual community holistic goals under this model early on in the planning
effort, benefit their rural and sub-urban school tax base’s positively and
mathematically, to possibly include added agri-tourism, community supported
agriculture (CSA) and an ability to sustain and maintain scenic quality of life
guises as do Kentucky’s Bluegrass Race horse farms, New York and California’s
Vineyards’ Wine and Cheese Trials, Florida’s Orange growers grove’s and
Vermont’s Maple Sugaring and Fall Foliage tours, etc..
Criticisms of these
outdoors logistical housing methods and precepts abound. As rural, but
non-farming populations continue to grow, we are forever changing and modifying
our communal regional understanding and perceptions of animal behavior, our
traditional agricultural food supply methods, and our tolerance - definition of
acceptable humane husbandry parameters concerning food production derived from
animals. For example, few if any dairy farmer would argue against well managed
outdoor “Calf Hutch” use and housing technology; non-farmers however may not
see this sub-system use as being desirable housing for man and animal alike. No
animal should approach suffering, yet peoples attitudes of acceptable animal
comfort and humanitarian care tolerances runs the gambit and will have to be
constantly dealt with forever more; the contained projects’ sub-systems
included. And this is an important point, I feel we need to turn a corner and
interject large and small commercial ruminate animals presence back into our
societies, and this is a excellent method to accomplish that task. As was
stated above, the earlier on in community planning that this system project is
planned and implemented, the better it will be understood and accepted by all
involved, but even “too late” is better than not at all.
The bottom line is: In lay terms, if you sit down with paper and pen and make side by side comparisons of all positive and negative aspects of this chosen system’s goals; the plus (positive) column toll is constantly greater. Further and more importantly, when evaluating any super-systems such as conventional animal housing or conventional cropping techniques as compared to pasture as animal housing or pasture feed sources, the “minus’s” or true real world problems and challenges involved in the total pasture systems’ goals become much, much easier and far more economical to solve for successfully within the confines of these pasture sub-systems; often relying on resources already available within the super- system. Some people are seemingly surprised by this paradox and some less than open-minded, unchallenged, or perhaps ill informed persons have and will continue to totally reject it (the systems’ nomadic capabilities and style theory) for whatever reason, one can expect this; “Satisfactory result” is after all an arbitrary term. Further inquiry will often times reveal, however, an incomplete understanding or total ignorance regarding the full extent of the subject matter of modern agricultural pasture as housing potentials; or, as I have found more often than not, a hidden agenda exists.
The Elysian
Fields Name
The “Elysian
Fields” farm pasture project name is derived from Greek mythology. It involves
a story of a mythical situation of final judgment and sentence at the approach
to a divided road. The road to the left, an unfortunate choice, is the path
toward everlasting torment and our visions of Hell; to the right lays the wise,
ultimately well chosen path to a promised place of everlasting blessedness,
everyone’s vision of Heaven; A beautiful place with gently rolling hills of
green fields and pasture … that place
is called the Elysian Fields.
To each according
to this and many other legends and truly in reality, we make choices throughout
our life as to which path we will ultimately be allowed to be lead down or
follow on our journeys in life; …and based on this, we will all be
judged.
The
Elysian Fields and Pasture Project consists of the following sub-systems:
A. A Combined Hybrid of Andre’ Voisin, Type Pasture
Theory; and Pasture as a Housing Medium of Royal A. Purdy.
B. An individual farm effort to espouse to Masanobu
Fukuoka style “Natural Farming” and F. Newman Turner style “Fertility Farming”
Theory Solutions and Methods on a modern commercial farm basis.
C. Adaptation of “TRIZ” Problem Solving Techniques and
Theory.
D. Sod Based Pasture Seeding and Seed-Pellets, Pasture
Cropping, and Pasture Feed Storage.
E. Nomadic Support Systems providing Total Access to
pasture areas.
F. Holistic Environmental Planned Management and
Evaluation of the above sub-systems.
The
Elysian Fields and Pasture Project
The in-field observational elements contained within the written thesis of the project have been helped greatly by, and evolved for the most part from, personal study of supportive grazing type reading materials, pasture walks, and decades of in-field practice and witness. Grass and Pasture western based writers contrasted to worldly “third world economics” driven or oriental farming techniques combined with others practical works including Holistic Planning Management - Problem Solving Methods authored texts’, at first glance, seemingly unrelated insights toward enhancing the subject matter are what inspired me and have honed many of my ongoing attitudes and conclusions.
Without question, as I have spoken of many times before,
short of my religion and family, of that which influences me, my goals and
current understanding concerning sound economic and ecologically sustainable
pastures and farming technique is laced heavily with, draws upon and is
influenced greatly by, the various gleaned written study works by and about,
only a small handful of worldly writer’s I consider to date of truly dynamic
value; of those, one by the name of Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer
and writer, and particularly a gleaning of his challenging “Natural Farming”
disciplines, and revelations of the importance he placed on the spiritual
aspects of farming are what inspire me foremost and I would include
among the offerings, his book titles “The
One-Straw Revolution”, “The Road Back To Nature”, and especially “The
Natural Way of Farming” and the new but non-reviewed “Wara-ippon
no Kakumei Soukatsuhen - Nendo Dango No Tabi”
And of a secondary reliance to Fukuoka for me, but having perhaps equal lasting dynamic influence and importance, being the greater “ Theory of Inventive Problem Solving”, “TRIZ” ( A Russian acronym for Teoriya Resheniya Izobreatatelskikh Zadatch, or a far less commonly used, but having the same meaning is the western language “TIPS” acronym ) created by the late Russian author Genrich Altshuller, a former Soviet Navy Patents examiner. Found is his book translated from Russian entitled “And Suddenly The Inventor Appeared” and also latter revealed in his many other documents and that of other colleagues who have written describing the ongoing development of the methodology of Genrich Altshuller’s works involving TRIZ ( pronounced “Treez”). Variant, yet relevant systematic forms of similar creativity study include ARIZ, and ASIT (Advanced Systematic Inventive Thinking).
Additionally a minor (recommended) assumption is made that the reader is already familiar with the important pasture and grazing concepts within the scope of the text of Andre Voisin contained in his written work “Grass Productivity” and / or the excellent exploitation of that work done by William Murphy in the book titled “Greener Pastures on Your Side of the Fence”; or the variant grazing management planning works by Allan Savory and / or F. Newman Turner interpretations of Sir Albert Howard’s organic observations in the titles “Fertility Pastures”, “Fertility Farming”. I’m sure other popular pasture based writers will yield tactful, informative writings, and will infuse a wealth of practical advice for persons interested in their pastures from a “low-cost inputs” in-lined point of view, which is similar to the intent of the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project.
Pasture inclusion and utilization of totally automated pasture milking systems beyond simple milking parlor technology is advocated and advanced within the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project but is not meant to dominate it in any way; the subject matters’ current status can be easily studied and monitored on the web, while low cost strawbale and alternative construction concepts, utilization and construction techniques can be studied and monitored on any one of the strawbale housing listserves available, “Builders Without Borders” and / or read about in a number of very good books on the subject.
The Elysian Fields and Pasture Project is designed to effect and build ambient soil organic matter, soil bacterial and Fungal profiles as Masanobu Fukuoka would suggest; however, Dr. Elaine Ingham and Gary F. Zimmer both do excellent work describing each in their own way their understanding of the individual roles of soil microorganism parameters in ongoing works “The Soil Foodweb” and “The Biological Farmer” respectively. Conveniently available and described at the Soil Foodweb website and Midwestern Bio-Ag website respectively. You may research other known sources, still readers would do well to fully understand the described scope of microorganism and mineralization roles and concepts, and in light of conventional farming aftermath effects, then be able to better evaluate a coarse of action toward transition for their own individual fields and crops.
Lastly, valuable evaluation and monitoring techniques of these Holistic Resource Management type grazing concepts can be found in a book (and References / Notes / Workbook(s)) by the author Allan Savory and his wife Jody Butterfield entitled “Holistic Management, A New Framework for Decision Making”. I am not trained in Holistic Management, but from what I have read, I think Savory’s work concerning his management planning methods and timing, “ties it all together” and combines well with the above subject matter; and I hope perhaps renders it much easier to understand and implement.
I feel important elements common to most all of the above authors (Fukuoka, Turner, Savory and the TRIZ methodology authors) are the common focus on trimming effects and also that all start with the end result in mind.
Activities:
A Call for Dynamic Environmental Systems
Change
So what promise does a
fellow named Altshuller and his life-works messages have for farmers and
pasture persons? Could a “Ideality” system be so designed and evolve to be
utilized year round? Conducive to the Elysian Fields Pasture model is also the
overlaying question of how to implement these developed rules with those of
persons named Fukuoka, Turner and others as applied to the overall sustainable
future of crop and pasture environments and municipality planning. I should
think to be useful and correct, these or any rules should stand the test of
time and be valid for both small and large producer alike. In an attempt to
locate and eventually validate presented future pasture and crop farming
solutions, it is predictable then that one should also be able (and willing) to
look to valid solutions of the past and perhaps within other disciplines that
may have inadvertently been cast aside in history. Fukuoka and Altshuller
realized this and revealed to us the techniques to follow and use.
I have my Dutch “Uncle Al”, an engineer type person who
taught me at a very young age in one of my previous careers, (and Altshuller
writings too seem to support) the well known concept that most “inventions” are
simply re-combinations of pre-existing systems. When I suggest to an individual
farmer that he house his entire dairy herd outdoors in enhanced housing totally
on pasture, or boldly suggest to municipal planners and governing boards that
future residential housing should be developed within a inter-connected pasture
based network or lattice system, I better have some inventive solutions in
mind, or a very good historical reference. Supporting ideas by first
considering any historic solutions for obtaining that persons’ or
municipalities ultimate goal. I believe TRIZ suggests that Pastures,..with
careful thought, study and action, can be made “ideal”, or perhaps have been
very close to “ideal” in the past; and so it is logical to assume
(technically) there must be (perhaps historic) methods available or obtainable
to accomplish (perhaps regain) that sought after element of “ideality”
within patterns of predictability.
It seems important that
many of the above author’s subject matter seem to validate and compliment each
other with reoccurring themes. In short, each stress and / or are disciplined
to seek out and remove that which can be done without. Each of these
authors cited strives to achieve “ideality” by making final use of only what is
necessary within any given system (in my case pasture based dairy systems, if
only and at least on a individual farmer and or individual field by field
basis); all reveal the relative truths within a given system or super system
and all reject that within a system which impedes ideality, even at the expense
of being intolerant of “modern day” and “conventional” agricultural norms and
inputs; thus, oftentimes perhaps
reverting to older and historic ways of doing things. And this is my
point; not much of what we do today in my region of the world regarding
agricultural production (dairy farming included) is honed down to the bare
essentials. In the end, this costs you and I, and makes any product produced
more expensive and less competitive. Current systems are rather often times in
place simply to attempt to validate the current oft chosen technology path, no
matter it seems the degree of continuing err of these long-standing or
established approaches.
I also wish to dispense
and do away with the perception of dairy pasture farm work as that of a
necessarily unskilled labor entrapment, prone to drudgery, toil and
environmental hazard. Skills necessary to achieve the means here-in intended
are acquired and develop along the lines as that of an artisan, encompassing
both skilled and unskilled labor. Walking, observing, and maintaining natures
pastures systems is or can be both pleasant and challenging work. It is on that
basis then that both men and women will be engaged.
Within the more intensely
designed neighborhoods, basic utilities such as water - electric and proper
access laneway systems should be brought to pasture land-plots from the nearby
municipal infrastructures and thus provide for a broader utilization of them to
the use of all. We should store well-made, high quality seasonal excess
feedstuffs within the pasture interior systems and not wastefully transport
them first out of, and then back into, the immediate pasture area; this only
helps to facilitate a concept of suburban pasture usage.
Accounting to their
location, municipal housing sewer systems and utilities can easily be diverted
if need be to these nearby pasture systems in a cooperative manner. This and with the necessary periodic
presence of animals (perhaps) in (residential and industrial) districts not
accustomed to observing them, might stem and perhaps may even help reverse the
tide suffered due to agricultures’ lack of exposure and experience to all
bordering districts proposed effected by these hybrid systems.
Part 2
Figure A-1) The authors’ father
George R. Purdy and a neighbors bull, while touring a local farm
Natural
Farming
Masanobu Fukuoka and
“Natural Farming”
(Masanobu Fukuoka born in the year 1914,
lives in Matsuyama, Island of Shikoku, Japan.)
I first sampled the
written works of Masanobu Fukuoka in the spring of 1980 in a book ( The One
Straw Revolution ) that was given to my wife by a college friend and (perhaps
thus) I fairly ignored it. A few years later, upon revisiting this written
work, I came to believe that although he (Fukuoka) did not portray himself
particularly a “pasture person” per se (in his book “ The Natural Way of
Farming” Fukuoka speaks of the perversion of monoculture pastures), and I
myself am NOT a “vegan”, I had by that point in time come to find his works on
what he calls “Do-nothing” type crop propagation, his caparisons of natural and
scientific farming philosophies, his natural sustainable farming techniques and
finally the implied capabilities of their individually modified applications
and adaptations over time, however abstract to casual interpretation, where
then and still are absolutely intriguing if no small challenge in the literal
technical sense to apply to modern day western type agricultural expectations;
I believe also they (these implied capabilities) have, for all, a valid and
respectable place in our considerations for lower cost sustainable
natural farming production methods and our modern “next generation”
pasture based model goals.
(Note: I feel Fukuoka’s
pasture precepts where somewhat flawed in his book “The Natural Way of Farming”
and so too I believe his and other theorists generalized negative perception
and conclusions of pasture systems as that of a necessarily doomed monoculture;
I feel they where oddly but commonly ill-informed against animal inputs on a
macro scale). As I, Fukuoka writings
are critical of Viniculture (Grape growing) also, however I feel the prior (Pastures)
can be utilized to correct the shortcomings of the latter (Viniculture) within
his own disciplines, and so on that he and I can agree. Fukuoka developed
several main system techniques of farming due to his belief that: “the ultimate
goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection
of human beings” (Fukuoka 1978). Pastures, I feel given the correct
information, are totally inline with this, his (Fukuoka) concepts.
I have used random Natural
Farming seeding techniques in small garden test settings for well over twenty
years; and I have utilized Natural Farming testing plots in Pasture settings
designed for commercial application since 1997. It is very important to take
time to note here that I personally feel the Elysian Fields and Pasture
Projects full methods are or will be more of a holistic apogeal goal for many
individual agricultural and pasture systems and often will require a transition
phase(s) of perhaps month’s or years of time and careful thought and testing
before being implemented fully.
Though generally regarded
as a pillar of modern “organic farming” and gardening type practices,
seldom will he (Fukuoka or I, within this Elysian Fields pasture cropping
model) use the term “organic” in reference to endeavors concerning
Fukuoka’s methods; rather he himself very often and perhaps more correctly
refers to his working techniques as that of “natural farming”, rather
than organic. I do believe that Natural Farming techniques can with a very
little bureaucratic, effort meet any of the various official NOP organic standards.
MOA or “Nature Farming” is a similar but different theory along
this same type popular farming theme and there are others.
At no time does Fukuoka
imply or demand a practices standard; his four “rules” are rather, simply truer
demanding goals. Fukuoka implies in his
writing it must always be assumed that after any type human intervention, true
natural forms (of full Natural Farming) are often some time in returning; for
instance, Practitioners are encouraged to transition through Bio-DynamicType
Farming”( or others ) to achieve a stable Fukuoka type “Natural Farming”.
Many current practitioners
of Fukuoka’s methods practice only a degree of his four or five principles.
Many more farmers world-wide have tried the methods, and in time given up for lack
of understanding or success and returned to prior methods of “conventional
farming”; of these farmers, many say they would return again to practice the
theology if and when the proper Natural Farming methods are developed and
better known or understood to their own circumstance. Natural Farming
“rules” being his master, Fukuoka realized failed attempts at natural farming
would initially often be the case even on his own farm and that variations and
degrees of application do often occur; he mentions that the act of returning
fully to true nature after human interactions can continue evolving over 100
years or more. I’ve read that same time requirement sediment statement from
various written authors to include F. Newman Turner, Gary F. Zimmer and Andre Voisin.
Criticisms of “organic” techniques, outside of the “certified” bureaucracy abound too, but most of the organic plans cited by critics from all corners are seldom if ever making use of true Fukuoka type “Natural Farming” techniques or methods to obtain organic management; and also on reflection often make gravis mistakes concerning those systems’ natural form status. For example, I have many times read of organic gardening failures presented something like this: “We planted our garden and the entire broccoli crop was ruined by a something bug; or a massive weed infestation”. They include the fact they started with deep tilled soils, planted an otherwise mono flora crop and expended fruitless conventional type farming energies during cultivation to the point of their choice to abandon the “organic” project, never coming close to the understanding or realization that the err of their methods was the true cause of their failure.
Fukuoka’s Four Principals
Fukuoka’s life thesis (
From the 1978 book “The One Straw Revolution”, first published,
“Shizen noho wara ippon no kakumei” in Japanese, in 1975; And the latter, “The
Natural Way of Farming”, 1985) utilize four basic goal principles
worth our further study regarding sustainable pastures and cost evaluations in
pasture farming and pasture cropping. In the later written work, Fukuoka added
a not to be ignored fifth rule that mainly concerns pruning and the natural
form of fruit bearing tree growth. Note: I find it interesting that the common
practice of grass clipping is relevant to most photosynthesis management within
pasture growth forms and grazing animal rejection, and so Fukuoka’s fifth rule
may find relevant application also at sometime in that guise.
Fukuoka’s four main basic principle goals:
The first: NO CULTIVATION. No plowing or turning of the soil. The earth cultivates itself naturally by means of the penetration of pasture sod by plant roots and the activity of microorganisms, small animals, and earthworms. At most shallow plowing, rotary or hoe tillage is all that is necessary in seedbed preparation, but even this is seen as undisciplined. Fukuoka’s first rule makes use of unique seed pellet cropping techniques (explained latter within the model) that have been successfully used for decades throughout the world and in most climates, totally without tillage. Essential Soil / Seed contact is derived by means of these seed pellets, an attribute of their manufacture method. Microorganisms’ laden (soil) flora, etc. may need to be reintroduced to soil from like fields afar or propagated from other near or on farm areas and incorporated into the pellets compound during manufacture.
The second: NO CHEMICAL FERTILIZER OR PREPARED COMPOST. If left to itself, and / or a valid regimen is followed after conventional farming technique intervention, soil flora eventually regains and maintains its fertility unending and naturally, over time in accordance with the orderly cycle of plant and animal life. Leguminous green manures (Clovers and Grass’s, etc.) are grown as a basic cover crop in certain situations. Observation and soil test evaluations perhaps identify and help select for management methods most appropriate for a given soil type(s). With undisciplined use of commercial chemical fertilizers (which many folks believe is in part a grand organic matter and humus destroying hoax placed upon western agriculture, and currently survives somewhat unmolested under the guise of a “green revolution”), influences on some plant crops historically may have selectively weakened their genomes growth sustainability without their select use. If these statements should be seen or viewed as a wholesale condemnation of synthetic fertilizers use or soil testing it is not! However, it is a condemning question as to the extent of the current and continued degree of use and methodology direction of the same in light of the subject matter. Again as above, farm produced soil amenities (ambient compost piles) in lew of commercial fertilizers may be recognized as the most useful during future transition phases. Perhaps a prolonged transition via degrees in Biological farming methods use is in order.
The third: NO WEEDING BY TILLAGE OR HERBICIDES. As a fundamental principle, weeds should be purposely controlled by various degrees of challenge type management, but not eliminated. Fukuoka asks, “What is a weed?” As a rule in cropping situations, the more dense, vegetative and complex the flora, (I feel as pasture sod is) the less likely that any one “weed” will dominate. I personally feel a weed is anything a grazing animal will not eat. As I’m sure this rule at first sight is presently “intolerable” for most farming folk’s experiences in weed free corn, grain, vegetable, and many other production cropping situations and for harvesting of these same crops, so too am I sure that it poses no serious threat to most pasture grower’s management style concerning pasture sods’ ability to convert solar energy to feed. One fact is very clear; tillage of any type is an open invitation to grow a weed. Further, residue such as straw is returned to the field as much as possible without machine soil surface interdiction; Simple passive compost (long straw) is often used as a cover material, but as a protocol rule, in most circumstances there is no need to make special use of this or any other “prepared compost”.
The fourth: NO DEPENDENCE ON CHEMICALS. Nature, left alone, is in perfect balance. Harmful pests in the form of insects, plants and diseases are always present, but do not occur in nature to an extent, which requires the use of costly poisonous chemicals or interdiction biotech’s. It seems Fukuoka did in fact use plant agents’ pyrethrum and tobacco (organic pesticide tea’s?), and light Mineral oil emulsions in his garden settings. On a grander commercial scale he also mentions a “Pesticide Compounding Chart” which made utility of relatively non-foreign and more natural occurring, less hazardous (yet technically poisonous) compounds such as Light Phosphorus Agents, Lime – Sulfur mixtures, Sodium Bicarbonate, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Copper – Zinc solutions (and perhaps other methods) in a type of integrated pest management usage against specific diseases and pests. In light of this; again I think valid use of effective locally acquired microorganisms during a phase transition time period on select soil types to hasten the return to a more natural state is often called for. Largely, I think too this rule speaks ( directly or indirectly ) of his avoidance of that involving monoculture-cropping techniques and that method’s inherent consequential evolving “pests”. In many situations pastures can be maintained in a dynamic but stable climax of complex species variations, reflecting the relevant management effects of the many present plant types, and over time, are not often a simple monoculture flora.
To my knowledge, perhaps
after a sufficient transition phase time-period, grazing pastures alone need
not violate any of the above principles. I suggest as graziers we consider
passive Natural Farming techniques on our pastures first. When considering
pasture ( and perhaps in time other pasture cropping techniques ), it is within
the concept of this project that overall one should not be concerned with that
which he or she has little or no control. A dairyperson or farmer may choose to
use increasingly less fertilizer and pesticide ( to the economical and
environmental point of using little or none at all ) and perhaps increase
reliance of ambient conditions, for the period necessary to reach a maximized
limit factor and stable productivity on select soil types without having to add
either.
In the next chapter is
examined the seemly odd “seed pellet”, perhaps one of the most powerful and
important element or sub-systems of the Elysian Fields and Pasture Project.
Normally associated with arid and brittle climate challenges of crop
propagation in dry desert climates visited by Fukuoka; I continue to address a
need for examining this little seed pellet in greater depth and for its
possible use as a economic pasture, feed – pasture cropping, and later a
production cropping tool. Utilizing adapted use of broadcast fertilizer
spreading vehicles that are very common and available already on many farms;
these implements are one of the lowest cost pieces of equipment to own and
operate; they also can and do make excellent “planting” machinery when used
upon “properly arranged or prepared” seedbeds, but not necessarily cultivated
seedbeds. Seed pellets you will learn can eliminate any further need for
manipulated soil seed contact via tillage, as they ( these seed pellets )
insure their own soil composite contact, and so according to this systems
theory, with management, renders
primary and secondary tillage increasingly obsolete. The challenge before us in
Ontario County (where I live ) as I see it, is to design protocol dairy-farming
cropping techniques and methods for intended use on our pastures’ perpetual
sods so that excellent establishment or reestablishment of high-grade pasture
or rotational pasture cropping or other crops of choice prevail and are
maintained without tillage. I believe seed pellets afford us a tool toward that
goal.
Problem Statement #1: Farmers
periodically need to sow or otherwise plant seeds in order to establish crops;
they also desire to maintain the lowest costs relevant to those needs. Any
establishment protocol that can be eliminated or trimmed (such as primary or
secondary tillage and seedbed preparations, costing fuel, perishable
components, and depreciation) from conventional farming means will lower costs.
Problem Statement #2: Crop
seeds establish better if soil contact is maintained during germination,
normally requiring a prior and exacting seedbed for establishment; but new
competing “weeds” receive a natural “signal” to germinate and grow when the
soil is tilled to remove undesirable existing weeds; typically this requires
the added function and cost of added pesticides and / or repeated cultivation.
Again as above, any establishment protocol that can be eliminated or trimmed
(such as weed cultivation tilling or pesticide applications, costing fuel,
perishable components, and depreciation) will lower costs.
Elements available: Soil, Seed, Pasture, Cows
Elements available in the Immediate Environment: Pasture, Cows, Farm
Machinery
Solution Statement: Create
and distribute (sown) “soil” seed pellets with composite seed and soil
inoculants built inside them, thus to be distributed outside the growth pattern
and elements of the “weed” plants on green manured soils – and “Pugged” in by
animal hooves pressure; thus establishing the necessary “Soil seed contact”,
but not actually disrupting sub-soil for tillage and weeding purposes, thus
minimizing both costs and some of the (mostly new growth) weeds germination
stimulus and subsequent germination and growth.
Seed Pellets
One of many important
applications of Fukuoka’s written theories of sustainable agriculture in part
involves the practice of “on farm” manufacture and use of what I believe he
referred to as “Seed pellets” or Pelleting; what some third parties later
called “Seed ball” technology. - Simply
put, these are the wide-ranging methods of encapsulation, generally in a
compound mix of red clay, discriminated site specific - farmer acquired - local
ambient microbe inoculated soil, perhaps other mixed selected organic matter,
and of various seed(s) according to ones cropping needs. By various methods
this compounded mix is then moistened and via hand or automation, formed into
seed laden clay pellets, which are then allowed to dry. Later, the now hardened
finished pellet is broadcast seeded (by hand or machine) or sown over zero to
minimally prepared crop ground as you would a frost seeding of clover, but
without the absolute need for a frost – warmth – frost, induced
repetitive heaving action. This broadcast seeding or sowing method (Mechanical
or by hand) remains one of the lowest cost infield functions on a farm. The
sometimes necessary (mandated) additional required husbandry acts involving a long
cut straw mulch where weed elimination desires, micro-climate or erosion
control, etc. in crops are sometimes concerned, utilized by Fukuoka can have
several proactive effects on seed use and crop establishment costs. Further I
believe with determination and further development, it is a method adaptable to
most any sown seeded crop.
The Seed-pellet sowing
methods can eliminate in many cases the need for primary and secondary tillage
and can with effort be manufactured to achieve a timed germination (an ambient
soil moisture dependent trigger effect) and thus affect ones propagation
success over that of typical broadcast planting (such as frost seeding) results
alone. By virtue of their existence, Seed pellets provide soil to seed contact
as a pre-condition. They eliminate the reliance of the soil heaving action
utilized by more commonly known frost seeding procedures to produce essential
soil seed contact, seed pellets thus broaden the seasonal time frame allowed to
using broadcast-seeding methods successfully.
According to Fukuoka
encapsulation in this compounded clay slip coating has been shown to render the
contained seeds fungicidal and anti-pestiferous (bird, rodent, insect, etc.)
properties. Also, due to this type containment, seed-pellets convert all type
of seeds in a compounded mixture of seeds otherwise having differing size and
weight, to have a consistent shared relative seed mass density. For aerodynamic
and ballistic purposes this means that when used for broadcast seeding
purposes, a light grass seed would have the same ballistic (as in coverage
pattern form) density as a clover or small grain seed of various kinds. Knowing
this, a broadcast seeder (SPBD, Seed Pellet Broadcast
Delivery, pronounced “Speed”) or ones own bare hand alone is
used for planting crops with no discernable difference in coverage patterns;
and is thus a critical technical attribute.
Seed Pellets then lay
dormant on the soil surface surrounded by the compounding matter until which
time as there is sufficient ambient soil moisture and conditions to release the
polymerization bonds of the clay compound (a form of triggering mechanism and
an added blessing in dry years). Only at this desired, predictable moisture
state and period in time will germination be triggered and begin in a properly
designed seed pellet. Perhaps most importantly, and again, because of the seed
pellet’s precondition (encapsulation in clay), vital soil - seed contact is
virtually assured, and can be enhanced further by compounding the clay from
added modifiers such as farm specific soil organisms, soil inoculants,
biological auger feed for early survival of rhizobia and other additives to
achieve, direct or assisted desired seed germination results.
Again these methods may
not be for everyone. Further testing needs to be done. Graziers should go slow,
experiment in their own way and perhaps decide whether or not to exploit this
novel but promising model method. I believe Fukuoka’s methods individually and
perhaps regionally modified, have merit as an alternative seeding method in
most all our pasture seeding as well as cropping applications. With adaptation
perhaps one day it will replace traditional tillage and crop tooling methods.
And a good place to start
reading and learning of the overall production methods for making seed pellets
is to read Fukuoka’s books.
In my personal life’s
endeavors, I am trained, licensed and nationally involved in the commercial
design, research and development, and deployment of aerial display type
pyrotechnics and explosives (Aerial Display Fireworks). The process, automation,
and production of clay-encapsulated seeds (seed pellets) is very similar and
often identical to, and on my farmland, utilizes the same land space and
hardware resources as that of pyrotechnic “star” manufacture. Since 1989 I’ve
worked with and studied various methods of enlargement of clay-seed pellets,
all pertaining to that of Fukuoka’s principles of incorporating seed into hard
and soft round clay pellets utilizing methods and techniques I assume he
borrowed from the older established oriental pyrotechnics industry. These so
called “rolling”, “pumping”, and “cutting” techniques involved in large scale
clay seed pellet production on farms are for most, all easily and successfully
self-taught.
Preparation of Seed-Pellets
Some of the simplest methods
in preparing the seed laden clay pellets on a lab basis is to mix the desired
seeds (compounding more than one type of seed in the same seed pellet capsule
if desired) in at least a five to ten fold quantity of well-crushed or powdered
red clay and / or locally obtained clay slip, local soil humus (Source
of local effective microorganisms) and select local soil, add water to the
consistency of wet dough, form into a loaf or brick shape and dice it with a
knife into cubes or further hand roll into pellets; Or, knead the compound to pass through a half-inch
mesh screen and drop on a paper sheet to dry for a half-day. One precaution to
mention, it is reported Ultraviolet rays within direct sunlight exposure of
this prepared compound may be harmful to some of the rhizobia contained on it’s
surface and perhaps within; so mixing, drying and storage of pellet compounds
should be done in a shaded area and do not prolong surfaces exposure to direct
sunlight. Again, at this point if a more uniform pellet is needed, then simply
shape mixture into rounded pellets by rolling by hand or for large-scale
manufacture in a drum mixer so designed.
Or, a more commercial and
controlled scale construction technique is to place water moistened hard shell
seed in a large rounded pan or drum mixer of the desired scale. Continue
spraying the seed with a (light atomized) coating of surface moisture while
maintaining a rolling and flowing motion of the “wake” of rolling seeds. If the
mass clings to the sides of the vessel it is too wet and more dry matter and
seed must be added. In alternate applications sprinkle this rolling seed mass
with red clay powder while maintaining alternate spraying water mist onto the
mixture with a fluid atomizer, all the while remembering to keep the seeds
moving with a rolling motion. The seeds will become coated with clay and will
grow in size. In time the pellets can be enlarged adding any intended pasture
seed, soil or other organic matter to the compound powder. Avoid too much
organic matter in this mix however, as pellets can become too soft, and perhaps
crumble prematurely or allow rodents or other pests to consume the seed. You
require a hard uniform pellet formula if a mechanical broadcast seeder is to be
used behind a tractor or other. These examples are not all encompassing, as
there are no doubt other considerations, methods, techniques and formula of
contributing ingredients worth investigating as well. The time has come to
demand of ourselves a proven “new” experimental approach and the utensils
needed to accomplish this goal involving these simple planting methods. Again,
experiment.
Successes Using Seed
Pellets in a Pasture Sod Cropping Environment
Limited on-farm tests have
revealed excellent results from pasture cropping in the past using a
seed-pellet cropping method. These test plots mainly used common variety
grass-seed or clovers.
Many people have tried or
are familiar with frost seeding as a method of establishing hay crops and
pasture, but they lament the fact that the frost seeding method is limited to
actual areas and climates that actually offer freeze-thaw cycle conditions and
the associated daytime – nighttime thermal soil expansion contraction cycle
that produces the soil agitation action necessary to achieve success involving
seed – soil contact. This is where seed-pellets have a distinct advantage over
common sown or broadcast seeding methods as seed –soil contact is made to be in
a manner of a “TRIZ” methodology term called a “prior action”.
Also, when conventional
farming practitioners first examine seed-pellet cropping methods they almost
always quickly come to realize, question (and discount as taxing) the
practicality of the additional prior measures necessary; that of on –or- off
farm seed-pellet manufacture. However here in lies the disclosure of the true
hidden advantage of the prior action and further reveals apparent
attributes in that the chore of manufacturing seed-pellets can be achieved on
farm at ones own leisure; perhaps in the winter season or during wet periods.
Comparing These Two Methods
