The phrase “Seed conservation towards healthy lawn” has been around for a while now. With the development of new technologies, the principles on which this campaign is based have become more advanced. Previously, in order to save seeds for the benefit of the next generation, many farmers would just replant their existing crop to cover the bare spots on their land. It took years for the barren patches to be replaced with lush and beautiful ones. However, this process of seed conservation can now be done in a few weeks or months instead of years.
The idea of saving seed for the next crop was initially met with objection from some farmers. They argued that it would disrupt their current farming cycle, resulting in the loss of their existing farmland. To accommodate this, some farmers adopted an attitude of self-sufficiency whereby they only produced what they themselves consume. In other words, they actually increased the production of their crop so that they would not need to eat the produce that they have saved. Such self-sufficient farmers thus lost control over their finances, eventually having to abandon the effort.
In most instances though, the agronomics concept has received favorable response from both the local as well as the international agricultural community. These farmers now realize that the practice of saving seeds for the future is not only beneficial to them but also to the entire agricultural sector. Ultimately, when everything is said and done, the savings that are realized today will be reaped by future generations as well. What's more, these farmers now have the opportunity to expand their current crops at the same pace at which they were able to develop them. The end result is a sustainable and thriving agricultural sector, able to expand and procreate, thereby, meeting the food demands of consumers in a sustainable manner.
Soil conservation practices used by farmers in the state of Arkansas under the guidance of Dr. Andrew R. Knowles, PhD are indeed working towards healthy soil. One such example of how this is being done is through the implementation of the No Compund Grants program. As established by Arkansas' Secretary of State, Knowles is mandated to implement a program in which public and private entities will contribute to an adobe bloom initiative. This initiative is designed to improve water quality and to promote the restoration of ripened, damaged, or otherwise unfit soils. Through these efforts, farmers in Arkansas can conserve a significant amount of their available soil.
The methodology of Dr. Knowles and his team is rather simple in approach. First, they establish a baseline of adobe aridness data for each agricultural region in the state. From this baseline, they then estimate the amount of soil needed by each agricultural region based upon the aridity level of that specific region. From these estimates, they establish the maximum number of acres that can be planted based on the specific requirements for water, nutrients, and pest control. In addition, they determine what the region's individual needs are to maintain its current arid condition. This assessment then determines the areas within the region that can become primary zones of conservation.
For instance, in the West Central Arkansas regions where the soil has moderate to heavy adobe, farmers would generally want to reserve a lower number of acres for crop rotation, crop grass, and ancillary crops such as alfalfa. Conversely, in the Eastern Panhandle and Southern Illinois areas, the need to reserve more acres for crop rotation, crop grass, and ancillary crops would be lower. Within the Northern Kentucky, Ohio, and eastern Kentucky regions, farmers would typically reserve more acres for pasture and cattle ranches. Finally, in the North Central Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, the need to conserve smaller but more intensively used ancillary species would outweigh any savings provided from crop rotation.
With this information in hand, it becomes apparent how difficult the task is for the average farmer to conserve the precious resources upon which he or she depends on for their own survival. As noted above, crop fields that are planted with ancillary species, such as black rhubarb, will actually increase the amount of land needed to feed the cattle necessary to feed the cattle, resulting in an increase in fertilization costs. This scenario becomes even more problematic in the event that the crop in question is alfalfa. If alfalfa farmers do not properly plan when to fertilize their fields, the resulting adverse effects on the surrounding soil will be extensive. Fertilization should also be performed when the soil is at its most fertile, which occurs during the spring months of the year, when the alfalfa is at its peak growth point.
Many local agricultural extension services have been providing guidance to farmers and ranchers for decades, with the consistent finding that such practices are not only beneficial to the environment, but also prove economically beneficial as well. While it is challenging to implement many practices in an agricultural setting, such as organic agriculture and integrated farming strategies, it has proven to be a worthy pursuit. In the end, farmers must continue to protect the integrity of their soils, while concurrently reducing their ecological footprint. They need the assistance of a good, holistic adobe management system if they are to successfully attain this goal. If you would like to discuss a specific application of agronomics with a professional agronomic consultant, we're sure that you'll find something that works very well for your operation.
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| Conservation Stewardship Program: Advancing Soil Health – National – Soil Conservation Towards Healthy | Soil Conservation Towards Healthy |
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| A pictorial representation of some benefits of soil health – Soil Conservation Towards Healthy | Soil Conservation Towards Healthy |
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| SOIL – Soil conservation in the 6st century: why we need smart – Soil Conservation Towards Healthy | Soil Conservation Towards Healthy |
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| Soil conservation – ProTerra Foundation – Soil Conservation Towards Healthy | Soil Conservation Towards Healthy |
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| Conserving healthy soils IUCN – Soil Conservation Towards Healthy | Soil Conservation Towards Healthy |
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| Soil conservation – ProTerra Foundation – Soil Conservation Towards Healthy | Soil Conservation Towards Healthy |
