Misguided thoughts on Conservation

[onpoint]

A few good reads

Blatantly poor practices like this are a growing problem
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/article_7971e1f0-4f43-11e0-b626-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.fws.gov/southdakotafieldoffice/contaminants.htm

http://www.grist.org/farm-bill/2011-10-26-farming-with-a-smaller-footprint-why-it-matters

We all want inexpensive food. Somewhere there has to be a answer to all this mess. Education of proper farming practices and new methods is key. To stick ones head in the sand and just plain ignore the obvious only shows ones denial and biased approach. Pollution? Habitat loss? Water Quality? Not ME! Sorry but even I can admit that I can and need to do better on my farm and I'm a small guy. At least be honest and admit there are things that you could do to be a better land owner and farmer. Too many want to plant the place, let chemicals do the work and head to another job...many do it. They want to farm the easy way. then go make $25-30 bucks an hour some place else.

 

[oldandnew]

The reason to focus on those activities is because that is what can be done right now to get things done. Is it perfect NO. But it is moving us in the right direction, a lot more than playing the blame game.

The idea of some radical change in farm programs and EPA oversight is pie in the sky. We can argue the merits of it but would near term solution does it offer? The changes you would like to see are 5 plus years down even if everyone agreed on them.

FYI I do not think current CRP rules allow monoculture of non-native spices. At least not in my area. I might be mistaken.

I would be for any movement in that direction, problem is we are a token, symbolic, society. We will talk a good game about doing something different, and make a few realatively painless changes, call it good,and go back to business as usual. I'm not just talking farmers here. I'm talking everybody,we all contribute, we all benefit in some way, and we are all responsible. I agree with the idea we are all in some way in denial. We can deny all we want, but the problem grows, and our collective history would suggest that we will goon denying any harm right up to the point it kills us, or we lose something valuable as a result, then the outcry will be why didn't anybody warn us? why didn't anybody do anything? I think that consumers are paying enough for food now and are relatively quiet about it. The percentages that the producer recieves are mere fractions of the contributed value. Sucked away by the horde of middlemen. It's deplorable, how bout some readjustment and fair marketing rules? If we reduce the pressure on producers, it has been my hope we would see less incentive to produce cash from every inch of soil, maybe even relax and enjoy some outdoor recreation. I agree about the plantings of CRP, currently requirements are more conservation friendly, I was more refering to the past practices which were in many cases useless.

 

[Prairie Drifter]

Here here, Oldandnew! The current trend we are on is exactly the same as many "former" civilizations who mined their land holdings until that same land could no longer support their masses and they became weak only to be taken over by stronger neighbors. The symptoms of what is to come are visible in our bird populations. Why are so many species on the threatened or endangered list. Yet, still, our political leaders preach that we must "grow" to be strong. Our land holdings are finite! Their capability to produce is also finite! We can manage them as a sustainable resource, but we are far from doing that currently. Annually replacing N-P-K hardly replaces all that is removed with each crop! Watching the organic matter diminish to the point that farmers must continually buy larger tractors to pull the same size equipment in the same soil should tell us something. Take the time and compare a shovel full of soil from an Iowa corn field to that in an adjoining grassland. Tell me you can't see the difference! And how many years has it taken us to cause this harm? It's moving so much faster than we realize!!! We are very poor at looking at the big picture, the long run. Maybe we need to throw ourselves under the proverbial microscope and see beyond the rhetoric! It's our future that is at stake! Are we so arrogant that doesn't matter to us???

 

[onpoint]

Here here, Oldandnew! The current trend we are on is exactly the same as many "former" civilizations who mined their land holdings until that same land could no longer support their masses and they became weak only to be taken over by stronger neighbors. The symptoms of what is to come are visible in our bird populations. Why are so many species on the threatened or endangered list. Yet, still, our political leaders preach that we must "grow" to be strong. Our land holdings are finite! Their capability to produce is also finite! We can manage them as a sustainable resource, but we are far from doing that currently. Annually replacing N-P-K hardly replaces all that is removed with each crop! Watching the organic matter diminish to the point that farmers must continually buy larger tractors to pull the same size equipment in the same soil should tell us something. Take the time and compare a shovel full of soil from an Iowa corn field to that in an adjoining grassland. Tell me you can't see the difference! And how many years has it taken us to cause this harm? It's moving so much faster than we realize!!! We are very poor at looking at the big picture, the long run. Maybe we need to throw ourselves under the proverbial microscope and see beyond the rhetoric! It's our future that is at stake! Are we so arrogant that doesn't matter to us???

AMEN!:cheers:

 

[jaytee]

I think this was said before but the squeaky wheel gets the grease. We as "conservationist" dont do near enough squeaking, or at least we dont maintain it. We start out squalling about this and that but we seem to fall well short of following up on what were so passionate about. Its time to squall and squall VERY LOUDLY!!!!:cheers:

 

[onpoint]

I think this was said before but the squeaky wheel gets the grease. We as "conservationist" dont do near enough squeaking, or at least we dont maintain it. We start out squalling about this and that but we seem to fall well short of following up on what were so passionate about. Its time to squall and squall VERY LOUDLY!!!!:cheers:

:10sign:Amen jaytee

 

[oldandnew]

Since this thread is virtually concurrent to the South Dakota Prairie thread, I urge you to read my last post, and respond. Time to go to work!

 

[UGUIDE]

Here here, Oldandnew! The current trend we are on is exactly the same as many "former" civilizations who mined their land holdings until that same land could no longer support their masses and they became weak only to be taken over by stronger neighbors. The symptoms of what is to come are visible in our bird populations. Why are so many species on the threatened or endangered list. Yet, still, our political leaders preach that we must "grow" to be strong. Our land holdings are finite! Their capability to produce is also finite! We can manage them as a sustainable resource, but we are far from doing that currently. Annually replacing N-P-K hardly replaces all that is removed with each crop! Watching the organic matter diminish to the point that farmers must continually buy larger tractors to pull the same size equipment in the same soil should tell us something. Take the time and compare a shovel full of soil from an Iowa corn field to that in an adjoining grassland. Tell me you can't see the difference! And how many years has it taken us to cause this harm? It's moving so much faster than we realize!!! We are very poor at looking at the big picture, the long run. Maybe we need to throw ourselves under the proverbial microscope and see beyond the rhetoric! It's our future that is at stake! Are we so arrogant that doesn't matter to us???

Well said PD. I haven't read that many books but I have read enough to know that mainstream farming tends to treat the soil like dirt and if you talk about treating the soil like the living organism it is. It's to easy to stay above ground and not scratch the surfaces. Thanks for reminding me that I am NOT crazy for upping my rotation and adding cover crops and sticking the soil probe in the ground every year and hoping for 100 lb readings instead of the now 300 lb reading I am now getting.