Soil Health – More than just a soil test

In this article, we will review "Soil Health" a more holistic approach to soil testing. In the past, we’ve written various articles about soils.  How they are formed; climatic regions and their effect on soils; soil texture; soil nutrients; and more.  Over the past few decades, as Agriculture moves more toward Sustainable Systems and away from strictly chemical-based decision making; we have found researchers and consultants have expanded their measurements of soil quality.  Many of the parameters that come [...]

Organic Amendments and Fertilizer Spreaders

Farmers around the world have always known the benefits of manures, composts, leaf and yard waste; and other bulky organic materials, and the fertilizer spreaders to deliver them.  With more emphasis on sustainability and recycling; reducing the use of costly chemical fertilizers, and managing the organic fraction of the soil better; advancements in the ‘science’ of it all have kept pace to assist farmers while equipment technology also has become more precise for field and operating efficiency. Sources of Bulky [...]

Solar Energy in Agriculture

We wanted to bring an article about Solar Energy in agriculture because in these times farmers in tropical and developing countries are learning first hand how Climate Change and Global Warming are changing the way we do things in agriculture and other industries.  A key component of mitigating Climate Change is Energy.  Without practical and reliable sources of energy, the challenges with increasing production and stepping up to processing requirements to create more value-added commodities for markets and the community. Solar [...]

Industrial Hemp Making Strides as an Emerging ‘New’ Crop

Industrial Hemp, historically somewhat misunderstood by the general public, is making strides in being recognized for what it is… a crop completely different than its related strain which is still classified as a narcotic. Hemp is a form of Cannabis sativa L., is still classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act in the U.S.  This past July, legislators introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017, authored across party lines and seeks to remove Hemp from [...]

Perennial Forage and Cover Crops in Tropical Climates Can Help Solve Many Problems

Many Subtropical regions experience an extended dry season, and this is expected to increase as a trend with Global warming and shifts in climate patterns throughout the world, but cover crops can help.  Left unmanaged, dry soils will have sparse vegetation, be much warmer, and when combined, these conditions lend themselves to massive nutrient losses within the soils impacted.  The lack of soil cover from the lack of biomass subject the surface horizons to soil erosion when hard rains [...]

Soil Compaction Robs Yields and Profits

Soil compaction is a significant issue in production agriculture around the world.  It can be caused by several processes and/or activities in your crop management practices.  Essentially, soil compaction is defined as an increase in bulk density (weight of soil at a given volume) and/or a decrease in porosity (air exchange) within a soil.  It degrades the structure of a soil, and degrades the soil’s ability to drain, exchange nutrients, sustain microbial life; prevents ideal root development, and other [...]

The Rainforest Alliance

Recent findings from the United States Environmental Protection Agency continue the mounting proof that Climate Change is real, that's why we want to show in this article, the importance of The Rainforest Alliance's work around the world (see: Report: Federal climate findings counter Trump's stance on climate change - CBS News - Aug 8, 2017). Founded in 1987 by Daniel Katz, the Rainforest Alliance is a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on certifying farms and businesses which actively conserve biodiversity and [...]

Mechanizing Palm Oil Crop Production

Mechanizing Palm Oil Crop is essential to increase the productivity of any agricultural crop such as oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Productivity can be enhanced using mechanical means for the removal of drudgery from the entire production processes.  As communities across the tropics continue working together as small holders and larger farms, the ability to adopt more mechanized systems of producing, protecting, and harvesting palm oil crops increases. Palm oil trees, being perennials, with dense vegetation, offer an amazing sink for Carbon [...]

Small Farm Rice Production

Small farm rice production in Japan (Source: Growing Rice in Japan) Rice production is on the rise in many areas of Africa and other regions of the equatorial belt, specially small farm rice production. Many farms in these areas working with small plots of land may hold promise for the use of compact tractors in producing a successful rice crop. Building Bunds/Levees In order to contain the water that will be flooded or irrigated into the paddy, the building of dams or [...]

Understanding Pesticides and their Fate in the Environment

Pesticides have gotten their fair share of abuse over the years. Some of it justified, some of it hogwash.  In these days of social media and ‘fake news’, whomever can make the biggest splash for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and unique hits to a webpage or a video, wins.  Right?..uhm..not so much. The bottom line with Plant Protection using pesticides lies in risk: benefit.  The risk being economics, effectiveness, the persistence of the chemical in the environment, and the hazard [...]

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