Sustainability

[rodb]

Linda

On Saturday Q91 reran Jim Fishers interview with Harvey Buckley. Harvey said that the US would be a net importer of food by 2017(?) and that we would be by 2050. This is scary but when you look at population increase and urban sprawl, if we don't change what and how we do things it is inevitable.

On a lighter note, The Red Neck from Red Deer stuck his foot in it lately by saying (in front of an organically sustainable crowd)"The only thing that the organic movement hasn't told everyone that half of us are going to have to quit eating to make it work". O' well off to burn another bridge.

[cowman]

Who's the Red Neck from Red Deer?
Now I'm no tree hugger enviro freak. I use fertilizer, when required, and I'll definitely use chemical sprays. Sometimes I think it is way over done though. Like why are we knocking ourselves out to maximize production when we have a hard time selling what we have at a profit?
I have seen some organic production that is astounding. Linda you know who I'm talking about...the organic veggie farmer north of Innisfail. The fertility of his soil can't be matched by chemicals. Now I do realize that having two thirds of the land in green manure crops would not be feasable without the high prices he gets for his organic production, but his crops are definitely impressive(even in a drought)?
There will always be a high end niche market and there will always be the regular market. It would be a good thing if farmers could limit the amount of chemicals they use, because eventually I suspect they could cause us a lot of grief?

[rodb]

Cowman

The Red Neck from Red Deer is a name thatI have been introduced by on several occassions.

Gerd Lund does run a good show but as you say having all that land in green manure plow down does eliminate a lot of edible production. Gerd also sits on some very high fertility land to begin with. Not all land is of that quality.

There is a gal at Lethbridge research centre who is working on natural relationships of plants,soils and other soil organisms. Hopefully something will come from her research.

When it comes to wheat, we are definitely producing two much Hard Red Spring compared to the world demand but thats for another CWB thread.
Rod

[countryguy]

I don't think green manure is the only way to build soil fertility is it?Seed the land to pasture and get these animals that are in the feedlots crapping in one place back out on the land improving it.Kills 2 birds with one stone does it not?Improves the land while at the same time taking wheat acres that aren't needed out of production.

Saying yields can't be equal with organic production compared to normal production is a myth.All it takes is an open mind and a little effort.I personally know of a guy doing it with a cropping system like I mentioned above and if he can do it,so can everyone else.Problem is nobody wants to get off their booty and try it.

[magpie]

Countryguy That’s interesting , may I ask how long he keeps this land in pasture before turning it under to get those comparable yields? How long will he crop this before going back to pasture? Will not phosphate be a limited factor?

[countryguy]

Magpie,I believe he keeps the land in pasture for 4 years before going back to a crop.I haven't seen him in a while so I don't know exactly what he's up to these days.As for the phosphate issue I cannot answer that.

One thing he said was when he went back to crop after pasture the results were "phenominal".He got a good laugh out of the neighbors for calling him crazy when he was seeding down the highest assessed quarter in his whole RM to grass.Last I heard he was also contemplating building portable feedlots and feeding cattle out on his fields,rotating from field to field each year.Quite an interesting fellow to say the least.

[rodb]

Countryguy

We have pasture and hay in our crop rotation as well. It works well but some people don't want or don't like the extra work that comes with haying or livestock. Gets in the way of extra curricular activities or the job they need to keep the farm going.