Maybe ploughing is the answer?

[delilah]

Christ, abit aggressive there.

You want to try reading Clive's post on the subject if you want aggressive. Telling fellow farmers that they are destroying the planet and that they must be crazy for doing so.
I could go through the various threads on this subject in recent weeks, compile the posts from the lunatic fringe of the DD brigade, and it would read like a manifesto for getting rid of agriculture and replacing it with fake food manufactured in laboratories.
As I have said, I have no problem with DD and am sure that its use will grow in popularity. But it should do so through knowledge exchange, education etc, not through vilifying non-converts.
And, no, there is nothing wrong our side of the farm gate. The environment is being fooked by the massive changes that have gone on in the food chain, and that will only be rectified through UK ag and the envi movement recognising that they are on the same side of the fence and working together to bring about the necessary change in the food chain.

 

[martian]

I agree with most of that. The concept of carbon oxidizing is nonsense though. Carbon requires thermal or biologic reaction to convert from an organic solid compound to CO2.

Quite...and letting in too much air results in a feeding frenzy of bacteria and other micro-organisms munching the humus, giving short term gains in available nutrients at a cost of soil organic matter, call it biologic reaction if you like, but CO2 is where it goes.

 

[oil barron]

Quite...and letting in too much air results in a feeding frenzy of bacteria and other micro-organisms munching the humus, giving short term gains in available nutrients at a cost of soil organic matter, call it biologic reaction if you like, but CO2 is where it goes.

Exactly. A lot more biology going on in a healthy airiated soil.

 

[glasshouse]

This was the part of the article that gave the impression that topsoil was being buried...
“Teagasc has stated that ploughing to 40cm (16 inches) results in carbon-rich top soil being deposited to lower levels of the soil, which protects carbon stocks.”

Madness

 

[martian]

You want to try reading Clive's post on the subject if you want aggressive. Telling fellow farmers that they are destroying the planet and that they must be crazy for doing so.
I could go through the various threads on this subject in recent weeks, compile the posts from the lunatic fringe of the DD brigade, and it would read like a manifesto for getting rid of agriculture and replacing it with fake food manufactured in laboratories.
As I have said, I have no problem with DD and am sure that its use will grow in popularity. But it should do so through knowledge exchange, education etc, not through vilifying non-converts.
And, no, there is nothing wrong our side of the farm gate. The environment is being fooked by the massive changes that have gone on in the food chain, and that will only be rectified through UK ag and the envi movement recognising that they are on the same side of the fence and working together to bring about the necessary change in the food chain.

I'm sorry if you feel other farmers are being vilified. Perhaps I should have said; why would 'one' want to smash it up for short-term gain, but I thought it made me sound like the queen. We are all farmers, some of us are perhaps a little over-enthusiastic about the potential of a new/old way of farming which suits us as farmers very well, at the same time as having massive good for the rest of society. It is the good news story that you refer to in your last sentence. I'm mystified as to why that's so annoying.

 

[martian]

Exactly. A lot more biology going on in a healthy airiated soil.

You are so right. A really healthy soil has a lot of air in it, there will be a greater weight of livestock under the ground than above it, if you measure all the bacteria, fungi, nematodes arthropods, worms, bugs and all. All these will thrive in a lovely undisturbed environment, the proportion of air pockets can be measured by a bulk density test. These bulk density figures tend to improve in soils which are managed with the well-being of the soil fauna in mind. These creatures work free of charge, unlike a power harrow operator. One of the reasons I first got excited by direct drilling was that I found power-harrowing the most mind-numbingly boring job and was keen to spend less time in the tractor. That certainly happened.

 

[delilah]

Perhaps I should have said; why would 'one' want to smash it up for short-term gain,

Perhaps you should have just stuck to promoting the benefits that DD brings to your chosen farming system.

 

[delilah]

It is the good news story that you refer to in your last sentence. I'm mystified as to why that's so annoying.

sorry, lost me, which good news story ?

 

[martian]

sorry, lost me, which good news story ?

Never mind, sounds like you don't want to hear it again.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Well it won't be the one that has people like @ Clive flying around in aeroplanes will it.
Nor that the food chain is bring fixed , far from it its being fairly fuc'ked sideways ..as it has been for sometime.. ongoing

Disjointed ,broken,with most people not at all interested.

 

[snarling bee]

You are so right. A really healthy soil has a lot of air in it, there will be a greater weight of livestock under the ground than above it, if you measure all the bacteria, fungi, nematodes arthropods, worms, bugs and all. All these will thrive in a lovely undisturbed environment, the proportion of air pockets can be measured by a bulk density test. These bulk density figures tend to improve in soils which are managed with the well-being of the soil fauna in mind. These creatures work free of charge, unlike a power harrow operator. One of the reasons I first got excited by direct drilling was that I found power-harrowing the most mind-numbingly boring job and was keen to spend less time in the tractor. That certainly happened.

Its not compulsory to use a power harrow in a cultivation system.
About the only time we use one for is the game covers.

 

[ajd132]

There is basically going to be no financial reason to do cultivation in the future.
reduced over heads £100-200/ha, carbon credits £50-100/ha, various schemes £50-150 (ie CS cover crops £114), reduction in inputs £50 to ? Who knows yet).
Obviously the key is to do your homework and minimise and yield drop pain.
And, Atleast you are getting paid for actually doing things, rather than bps which is just money for owning land.

 

[delilah]

There is basically going to be no financial reason to do cultivation in the future.
reduced over heads £100-200/ha, carbon credits £50-100/ha, various schemes £50-150 (ie CS cover crops £114), reduction in inputs £50 to ? Who knows yet).
Obviously the key is to do your homework and minimise and yield drop pain.
And, Atleast you are getting paid for actually doing things, rather than bps which is just money for owning land.

Could I ask what your stocking rate is across your farmed area (LSU/ ha) .

 

[ajd132]

Could I ask what your stocking rate is across your farmed area (LSU/ ha) .

Zero. But that’s irrelevant. I’m talking about countryside stewardship which is now. Not in the future.