Organic-Minded
People make decisions in many ways. Sometimes you have a gut feeling. Sometimes you just know when something is right. Sometimes you look at the facts and come to a logical conclusion. When people ask me why I have such a strong organic- minded attitude about agriculture and naturopathic medicine, it comes down to two things. I have eyes and I can see, and I have ears and I can hear.
Organic agriculture is agriculture based on nature. I believe God created the perfect world and that nature was once perfect. Everything was in balance according to the laws of nature. But humans are not perfect and this is where perfection and imperfection intersect. I figure that God knows a lot better than me about how this world should be run.
Regenerative agriculture operates on the principles that mimic nature. Regenerative agriculture is organic agriculture. In regenerative agriculture, nature uses a beneficial insects to offset pest damage, uses cover crops to improve soil moisture and increase the soil microorganisms, and so much more. Regenerative agriculture works to model nature. Too often, humans think they are the masters of nature. You can fight nature, but in the end, nature always wins.
I spent a lot of time in college questioning my professors. I often doubted what they told me. Several thought I had a bad attitude and would respond, “If you say it doesn’t work give me your reasons why.” They had a point. I often couldn’t give a scientific reason, just an observation. For me it was all based on evidence that I could see and I could hear. Evidence from people who gardened organically, healed themselves organically and practiced organic agriculture.
Sometimes the professors convinced me that they were correct, sometimes I still doubted them. When I graduated, I was filled with their beliefs. Yet when I began to practice what I had been taught, I ran right back into those same old feelings that something was not right. Things didn’t work as well as I had been told. I often saw things deteriorate as time progressed. Like most farmers, I was told I didn’t put on enough fertilizer or the right fertilizer. Well, they were right about the “right” fertilizer.
Today, I can point to science-based evidence where the chemical structures of organic products are known, better understood and proven to work. Now, I can say, “If you say it doesn’t work then give me your reasons why.” And then I can show them the research. Of course, they question the research. Not because it is not relevant or well executed, but rather because it is not widely accepted. Some people refuse to accept the proof even when they can see side by side examples.
Scientific research is based on questioning science. The very nature of science is based on a passion to keep learning. So, when someone says, “This is settled science,” I generally won’t argue if I know visual evidence is true for me. I can only present what I see, read, hear and know. They can argue with the researcher.
Today, I try to follow regenerative agriculture principles. They are 1. Minimize soil disturbance/Minimize tillage. For ranchers this means refraining from discing or plowing the pastures.
2. Increase biodiversity in the landscape. (don’t grow a monoculture crop) Allow diverse plants to grow and do their job. Cattle can benefit from many of those “weeds”.
3. Create a high density of plants in the landscape (keep soil exposure to a minimum). Don’t overgraze.
4. Rotate plants at least 10 times before returning to the same plant in the same space. (This is more for farming, but as ranchers, it also means rotating multiple pastures before returning to the first pasture in the rotation.)
5. Establish a policy of no chemicals. (Use organic products, or no chemical at all) 6. Use manure-based natural compost and fertilizers (Leave the chemical fertilizers at the dealer.)
7. Increase soil carbon and organic matter. (For ranchers this means we use some form of planned rotational grazing, leaving more grass blades to restore the plant and increase carbon in the root zone.)
8. Improve water quality. (If we are doing the things above, the water quality will be better.)
9. Optimize resource management, using water and other resources effectively. (If you are going to use irrigation, use it well.) This also refers to keeping dollars in your pocket.
10. Alleviate climate change in your personal life by all of your actions. This applies whether you believe in climate change or not. How can someone eat organically to stay healthy and spray toxic chemicals on everything else?
These principles are not a prescription on how to grow crops or raise cattle, they are guidelines. They are principles that have been found to work for centuries in nature by generations of humans all over the planet.
Some of the principles I learned from books. Some were taught to me by people in the cattle business. Some I witnessed growing up watching nature at work. I try to live by the words ofAlbrecht, “Read books and study nature. When they differ, throw away the books.”
David E. Will is a local rancher and consultant. He can be reached at 830-629-9876 or by email at dwill207@satx.rr.com.