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Consider no-till farming methods

PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 7:17 am
by rhy7s
In a similar vein to the permaculture suggestion, consider no-till farming methods. Ploughing can increase the workload for what ends up being a reduction in soil quality.

Re: Consider no-till farming methods

PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:31 am
by rhy7s

Re: Consider no-till farming methods

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:10 pm
by BillF
Given the emphasis on technology in the book, this makes great sense. I expected a chapter on nuclear/volcanic/ meteoric "winter" gardening. Gertjan Meeuws of PlantLab (www.plantlab.nl/) addresses this, while following on to Dickson Despommier's work in 2010 book "The Vertical Farm", to grow without sunlight much less tillage. Using blue and red L.E.D. lights and hydroponics his organization is raising a variety of flora. Bananas in the Netherlands!

Re: Consider no-till farming methods

PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:47 am
by lewis
Hi Bill, I can't see anything about nuclear/volcanic/meteoric "winter" gardening on the PlantLab website, but it certainly sounds like an interesting topic I'd want to look into. Do you know of another link or reference to it?

I'd suspect, though, that vertical gardens and LEDs would be somewhat beyond what a post-catastrophe society would be able to construct to support themselves. But absolutely perfect technology for long-duration space missions and Moon or Mars colonisation, which links into my own research in astrobiology!

Re: Consider no-till farming methods

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:39 pm
by BillF
Indeed Meeuws may not address wintering over, but his work of agri-light filtering is a viable step. With the depopulation of high-rises and the commonplace of L.E.D.s it may take no more than a couple of colored light filters to grow "in the dark". I now have the time and technology to study this some more. I've often wondered on the "gardening" aspect of colonization. Meeuws may have tripped the trigger on this research (not knowing what NASA already has up their sleeves). Bio-dome's may work upon arrival, but with the vast time and distances involved in interstellar travel will be much more capable with on-board agriculture. On our plane and planet the accessibility of L.E.D.s vs. full spectrum lighting could well take everyone interested over a cost and accessibility threshold.

Re: Consider no-till farming methods

PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:00 pm
by phred
No-till farming takes a lot of big equipment to pull the rollers, and even more in herbicies to keep down the insects, fungus, and mice. With a complete collapse I don't believe no-till is even worth comtemplating