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Raised Bed Agriculture.
Raised Bed Agriculture For home gardening raised bed agriculture means: less work, less irrigation, improved soil, higher yields and no poisons. For market gardeners, mini-farmers and mini-ranchers it means all the above plus profits. People can have a comfortable income, a high quality lifestyle, provide a great service to their community and it's a great way to raise children. RBA creates a healthy soil to grow healthy plants to provide healthy food to feed healthy people. For the human population to be healthy, we need to consume healthy foods [organic] which come from healthy animals eating healthy plants grown in healthy soil [C Scheaffer, VMD/holistic]. Health: People suffer due to very poor diets. The greatest benefit of RBA isn't the increased yields but the better nutrition provided to the families. This reduces their medical needs tremendously. Food Production Agriculture is in a crisis worldwide. The Green Revolution is not ecologically sound, economically viable or socially responsible. The "Green Revolution", which attempted to impose inappropriate crops and techniques in the Andes, has been a miserable failure. [The same is true around the world. KH] Srs. I. Garaycochea and J. Palao refer to the remains of twisted windmills, cracked irrigation canals and rusted out tractors littering the rural countryside as the "archaeology of development". It is ironic that the groups promoting the Green Revolution had to destroy ancient agriculture fields, to introduce the inappropriate technology and capital-intensive farming practices. "The prehispanic raised fields are classified on government maps "for wildlife use only". It is a good thing that those ancient farmers didn't have access to those maps!" C. Erickson, UPA. The Green Revolution makes farmers depend on, even economic slaves to, agribusiness and multinational corporations: Cargill\Monsanto, ConAgra, Novartis\ADM and others. Their goal is to increase profits and to control the world's food supply from research to production to consumer by controling seed, fertilizers and chemicals. These seeds must have chemicals sprayed on them to produce and the seed can not be saved for the next crop. "These companies tell the US patent office that the plants are novel and unique to get a patent but they tell the FDA/EPA that that they are natural and not new and not subject to regulations." [S. Ogden, Straight-Ahead Organics, 1999]. Other corporations are beginning to market irradiated food which may be dangerous to our health. Most governments, USAID, most ag extension services and ag universities in most countries help the companies by promoting the use of their products. They are more interested in export crop production than in food crops to feed local people. "If I had taken what I learned about agriculture at Texas A & M University to a third world country, I would have starved to death". Mike Sullivan, ECHO, Ag Missions Conference 1998, quoting his son. The world's farmers can produce all the food the world's population requires, regardless of how high it goes, using RBA. Note: A salesman promotes chemical fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, etc and gets paided by the chemical company from the sale. Promoters of organic gardening and farming have nothing to sell. Raised Bed : Traditional & Historic They were used in Asia [Indonesia, China, Vietnam, PNG], Latin America [Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru], Europe [France] and USA [Indians] for centuries. They are now being used in Kenya, Nigeria and a few other countries. I saw a few in the 60's while living in Guatemala. They are being restored in Peru and Bolivia. "It was proven that labor costs were low, harvests were bountiful, production was sustainable and the technology could be managed by individual families using available tools." [Bolivia] C. Erickson, UPA. On the Web: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cerickso/applied.html http://archaeology.about.com/msubfarm.htm http://archaeology.about.com/blinterviews.htm Five Principles Of RBA: Regardless of the quality of the land, these principles will make it highly fertile. Maximize organic matter production Keep the soil covered Use zero tillage Maintain biological diversity Feed plants through the mulch. Roland Bunch, COSECHA Organic: All gardeners and farmers were organic until the use of chemicals in WW II [to kill people then, insects now]. They kill soil micro-organisms and worms. No one has the right, moral or legal, to poison the air, soil or water. "Organic gardening and farming is more than avoiding chemicals. The organic method requires a change of attitude and a different thought process." [H. Garrett, DMN] RBA does not require the purchase of any outside inputs. The present generation knows nothing about raised beds or organics because their fathers and grandfathers have used chemicals since the 1950s. Therefore, they must be taught. [Read: From The Good Earth, by M. Ableman, http://www.dirtdoctor.com] RBA allows people to feed themselves on a local basis that provides total community food security and is a proven food production system that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially responsible and Biblically based. Benefits OF RBA A. Organic, biointensive, double dug, permanent raised beds which can double or even triple the yield while reducing the labor by half compared to traditional gardening. Using this, a family can grow all their food for a vegetarian diet on 300 M². http://www.bountifulgardens.org This works [USA: Chadwick Garden & market garden, Ecology Action; CET, Chile; Manor House Ag Center, Kenya; ECOPOL, Mexico; IIRR, Baptist Rural Life Center, Philippines] and the proof is there for all to see. This is used by home gardeners and small market gardeners. B. Organic, permanent raised beds can increase yields, stop erosion and reduce labor. Land sloping up to 75% can be farmed without erosion. I saw them in Honduras after hurricane Mitch. This works [COSECHA & CIDICCO, Honduras; M Fukuoka, Japan; Centro de EducacÃon y TecnologÃa, Chile; IIRR, BRLC, Philippines; M Cain, USA; Vietnam: VACVINA] and the proof is there for all to see. [read Plowman's Folly, by E. H. Faulker; Weeds-Control Without Chemicals, by Walters. Video: Necessity of Organic Resides, by R. Parnes]. This is used by home gardeners, market gardeners and mini-farmers. Hand labor with hand tools is used such as hoes, shovels, rakes, digging forks, machetes. Hand tools: Scythe - cuts grass, harvest grain; Hedge clipper - long handles for trimming/cutting back growth of hedges, trellises, etc; Lopper - long handles for cutting limbs; Wheel Hoe - walk-behind with various implements; Planter - walk-behind which drops seed; Spreader - walk-behind which spreads fertilizer, etc. The above boasts two advantages which no other production system can claim. First, it is easier on the soil than mechanized methods. Second, it is the least expensive method in terms of capital outlay. For mini-farms this method is not only economically viable but superior to the alternatives. Jeff Rast, Countryside, Nov/Dec 98. C. Alley-cropping: Raised beds between rows of trees [food, oils, chemicals, medicinals, spices, beverages, crafts, lumber, forages, firewood, windbreaks, industrials, etc] which are a planned crop. http://www.winrock.org http://www.treesftf.org http://www.unl.edu/nac This works and the proof [USA; Nigeria, IITA; Philippines, IIRR, BMRLC; Costa Rica] is there for all to see. Bucket drip irrigation kits should be used during the dry season or in areas of low rainfall. The kit [US$15 + Postage & Handling] irrigates 200 feet of vegetables by filling a five gallon bucket each morning and each evening. Two kits will produce all the vegetables needed for a family of seven on a vegetarian diet [Kenya]. Bucket drip kits can be adapted to use with trees. [video: Third World Irrigation Update, free with first kit or US$5 ppd.] Seed:: Use open pollinated, organically grown if possible. Save your seed. Exchange with others. http://homepage.tinet.ie/~merlyn/seedsaving.html RBA can be used to produce flowers, dyes, vegetables, nuts, fruits, trees, grains, fibers, herbs, spices, medicinals, oils, teas, sweeteners, fragrances, crafts, seeds, ornamentals, bamboo, industrials [lubricants, brooms, gums, waxes, oils, rubber, emulsifiers, paper], forages, feed grains, animal medicinals, livestock. http://www.echonet.org RBA Applications: Use one or more of the methods outlined as they apply to your situation. Home Garden/Mini-Ranch: Every home should have a garden to produce food for the family. This assures that the family, especially the children, do not consume chemicals. With little land, double dig for highest production. Additional beds can be used for forages for micro-livestock and/or small farm animals and/or regular livestock. Use moveable pens or use cut and carry. [Grow Food & Feed, by E. Omondi, US$10 ppd.] Market Garden: High value, labor intensive crops. Double dig for highest yields. Mini-Farm: Additional crops requiring more land but less intensive labor. Some are particularly adapted to value-added. Mini-Ranch/Mini-Dairy: Use raised beds for forage/grain. Small animals are in pens which are over the beds and moved down the bed daily for grazing or use cut and carry. Micro-livestock [hampsters in the kitchen, etc.] to small livestock to cattle are grown. Crops, Livestock and Marketing Crops: I am constantly searching for new crops and new marketing ideas for mini-farmers. The following at successful in one or more countries and many can be a cottage industry. I am seeking sources for seed. The following all vary in regard to climate, soil, etc. New Food Crops: Stevia. In great demand by diabetics and weightwatchers. It is a small bush whose leaves are 25 times sweeter than cane or beet sugar. Non-caloric. Cottage industry. Crotalaria [sunhemp] Sweet Sorghum cane and syrup [USA] Naturally colored cotton [Peru]. Tomatillo [Mexico] Rice: African, Floating Bambara groundnut Beans: Winged, Velvet, lablab, tropical lima Grains: quinoa, ammarath, buckwheat, Teff, Spelt, Emmer, Ethiopian barley; Finger millet, Pearl millet: popping [India] Sorghum: popping, vegetable, red dye [India] Maize: sweet, parching; Kamut; Perennial wheat;. Fonio/Acha [world's best tasting cereal!] Industrial Crops: Broomcorn, brooms [USA] Purple maize shucks for crafts,etc Industrial hemp Livestock: Raise animals that use forages and non-human food. Use the old native breeds of livestock who do well on forages. Use three-way cross. Muscovy ducks- No housing needed; little food; eats flies out of air; Quail - Major source of meat in some areas. Water buffalo - milk producer, cheese. Rabbits, Angora - hair for weaving Miniature livestock - 15 breeds available. Several countries have native miniatures. Value-added: Grains, stone ground Oil seed, cold pressed Marketing: There is a worldwide, grassroots movement to buy local, buy fresh and buy organic. Farm stand or curbside stand: Customers coming to you is low cost marketing. People will drive to a farm to buy fresh food. Farmer's Markets: They are in every country from one day per week to several days per week. Three days per week is best. They are the fastest growing means of marketing today CSA-Community Supported Agriculture: Customers pre-purchase shares of produce. Cooperatives: Enables the mini-agriculturists to work together to do what they can't do individually in marketing and/or value-added processing. [example-cheese making, jelly, etc] Cottage industries/value-added: Use family labor to process in some way what is grown to increase the selling price. Examples: solar dried fruit/vegetables, jams/jellies, crafts, milk/cheese, dried flowers, etc. [equipment manufacturers: Cecoco, Japan]. I visted the farm of a woman in Honduras who grows, harvest, hulls, roast and bags her own coffee. She markets it only in her own community. RBA has the potential to provide many benefits to cities - in nutritional improvement, hunger reduction, income generation, enterprise development and environmental enhancement. The poor and unemployed can grow their own food. Farming converts degraded and unkept vacant lots into healthy, green areas. Waste [grass, leaves, trees, sawdust, manure, food waste] can be composted and used on the farms. City governments must recognize the potential of urban agriculture and accord it the status given to other industries and economic activities in the city. Urban Ag Network: URBANAG@compuserve.com; Read: Urban Agriculture: Food, Jobs and Sustainable Cities; A Patch of Eden, H P Hynes, 1996. Cultivating Havana: Urban Agriculture. 1999, Food First. 25% to 75% of all the food consumed within the large cities is produced within those cities. |