1. Soil and Organic Farming
Chapter 10
Soil and Organic Farming

2. Organic Farming
Prohibits synthetic substances, including inorganic fertilizers and pesticides
Soil nutrients provided by manure, compost, legumes, organic fertilizers
Crop rotations used to control weeds, prevent erosion, and improve soil quality

3. Organic Farming Principles
Produce food of high nutritional quality
Interact in life-enhancing way with natural systems and cycles
Enhance biological cycles involving microorganisms, soil flora/fauna, plant, and animals
Maintain/increase long-term soil fertility

4. Organic Farming Principles (continued)
Use renewable, locally organized resources
Reduce external inputs to soil
Work with materials that can be reused or recycled
Provide livestock with humane living conditions that allow natural behavior

5. Organic Farming Principles (continued)
Minimize pollution that can result from farming
Maintain genetic diversity of farm and plant and wildlife habitats
Consider wider social and ecological impact of farming

6. Organic Farming’s Soil Benefits
Increases long-term soil fertility
Improves organic matter content, which helps prevent erosion
Enhances microorganisms that improve soil structure and aeration

7. Manure “Pros” Significant amounts of nitrogen, potash
Also contains phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, micronutrients
Adds organic matter to soil
Longer-lasting effects than same amount of chemical fertilizer

8. Manure “Cons”
Runoff can elevate phosphate, nitrate, and organic material levels in surface and groundwater
Gaseous air pollutants can be generated that have human health and greenhouse gas effects

9. Manure Best Management Practices
Test manure and soil for nutrient levels
Base manure application rates on phosphorus (rather than nitrogen) needs
Incorporate all manures into soil ASAP
Compost and sell excess manure

10. Manure Storage Issues

11. Composting Benefits
Reduces weight/volume of organic material, making it easier to handle/ship
Reduces carbon:nitrogen ratio of materials like wood chips or leaves
Heat generated kills most plant/human pathogens and weed seed

12. Green Manure Uses Traditional—reduces erosion/weed growth
Legumes—leave behind organic matter and nitrogen
Grasses—greatest bulk of organic matter (and no nitrogen) at least cost
Cover crop—after rapidly maturing crop or between rows of main crop

13. Importance of Crop Rotation
Enhances soil fertility; lowers need for fertilizer by providing nitrogen
Minimizes buildup of pests, diseases, and weeds
Provides diverse habitats and sources of food for variety of natural predators
Reduces erosion

14. Organic Weed Control
Crops—rotating, green manures/cover crops, close planting, mulches
Removal—hoeing, hand/mechanical weeding
Other—grazing animals

15. Organic Pest/Disease Control
Grow healthy/hardy crops with natural resistance
Time planting to avoid period when pest does most damage
Grow companion crops such as onion or garlic

16. Organic Pest/Disease Control (continued)
Trap or pick pests from crop
Rotate crops to help break pest cycles