Carbon Farmers

Trees

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 23:53:11 +1000

Trees Trees scattered across grasslands provide shelter for stock and wildlife and also have the effect of causing the soil adjacent to be richer in carbon. They can also assist in the management of

Composting

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 23:36:00 +1000

Composting This largely involves breaking down manure into a rich humus ready to spread on the fields. There is also a growing movement for recycling green wastes from cities for use on agricultural

Biological Farming

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 23:29:16 +1000

Biological Farming This is the umbrella term for the use of natural compounds to stimulate biological activity in the soil. These compounds range from compost teas (concocted after an analysis of th

Biodynamics

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 23:21:35 +1000

Biodynamics This is a method of treating soil, based on the theories of mystic and theorist Rudolf Steiner. He postulated that vital forces or energies flowed throughout the universe and that these

Water Management Systems

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 23:10:03 +1000

Water management systems Water is essential to the carbon growing process. Several systems have emerged for maximising us of water that falls on a farm. Two names are prominent: Natural Sequence Far

Slash and Mulch

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 23:02:20 +1000

Slash & Mulch This takes two forms: 1. Covering bare earth with hay or dead vegetation. This protects the soil from the sun, cools it, and attracts soil-producing microbes. It also holds water

Cropping Methods

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 23:56:37 +1000

No till cropping Ploughing disturbs the microbes and dries out the soil. It also releases tonnes of CO2 per hectare. ‘No til’ techniques sow the seed in the top soil without tearing off the existin

Gazing Management

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:46:28 +1000

Grazing management Stock are concentrated in small paddocks for short periods (days) so that they graze evenly and at the same time ‘til’ the soil with their hooves, stomping old grass and manure in

100% Ground Cover 100% Of The Time

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 00:22:20 +1000

100% groundcover 100% of the time - This is a Carbon Farmer’s goal. Soil covered by plants cannot be blown or washed away. It is cooler and more attractive to microbes than if it was exposed to the su