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Farming:
As we get into farming I would like to mention the native American '3 sisters'- corn, beans and squash. Native Americans learned from God long ago that beans, maize (corn) and squash (the 3 sisters) are primary foods that grow well together and are primary for survival. Because these three vegetables fulfill the nutritional requirements of a person and grow well together, they are all a person needs for survival. Beans provide primary proteins, corn provides carbohydrates and starchy vegetable, and squash is high in vitamins. In many cases, it is because of the 3 sisters that many native Americans survived the colonization of Europeans. I suggest beans, corn and squash in your garden if you are simply trying to survive or are growing staple crops. Also, soy bean, brown rice, corn, sweet potato, collard greens, and dark greens are vegetables high in nutritional value. I also recommend growing any of these, or local produce that is high in nutritional value. For more information on the three sisters, see a book called Native American Gardening: Stories, Projects and Recipes for Families by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac; Brother Crow, Sister Corn: Traditional American Indian Gardening by Carol Buchanan; and How Indians Use Wild Plants for Food, Medicine and Crafts by Frances Densmore. These three books were chosen because of their title and were found in traditional native American catalogues of books.
On irrigation... your local university is your best bet for investigating how to find water in your local area for agricultural practices; so is asking farmers and elders in your area. Irrigation piping and water pumps make agriculture bearable. It is a good question to ask if ram pumps can supply sufficient water for agriculture irrigation. For arid areas I found a book on drip irrigation: Drip Irrigation for Every Landscape and All Climates by Robert Kourik and Heidi Schmidt.
I want to share my idea for a goat pen and garden for a small area. A very good garden and goat manger design starts with a central partially-subterranean cistern with 7 fenced goat mangers encircling the cistern. Manger roofs slant into the cistern collecting water and goat fencing creates 7 pens encircling the central cistern (3 of these pens will serve as garden areas in rotation). Try to keep the cistern covered from the sun with a black tarp so that algae cannot grow in the cistern, until it rains. Alfalfa grass and goats go in every other 3 mangers; your garden goes in the other remaining 3 mangers. One (fallow) manger acts as space for a tool shed. Goats provide manure for the garden. Rotate the circle of goats and gardens 1 manger space clockwise, annually. The reason for this is that goat manure and alfalfa grass make very fertile soil. Alfalfa grass is a nitrogen-fixing legume and is great ground cover for goat pastures and goat manure is low in acid. 'Legumes', typically bean-variety plants, add valuable nitrogen to the soil and are therefore useful in crop-rotation. By rotating your garden space one manger, you are always gardening in very fertile soil... and the 7th manger space is fallow. This system is very efficient and sustains very fertile land in a small area. This maximizes water, milk and produce on minimum land. See LaMancha_Talk for a discussion of care for LaMancha goats (a top breed of goat). See also Goat_World for a general chat and information on goat care and livestock farming. Search the Net for care of the type of goats where you live. I found a group that does veterinary medicine: Veterinary_Medicine_in_Development_Cooperation. Yahoo talk groups are an excellent resource.
You will notice that alfalfa sprouts (a survival food) and alfalfa grass are the same thing (though some strains may differ). Alfalfa is therefore useful both for survival and as a primary legume for growing crops and can be sold to farmers, or to start your own organic farm.
'Compost' is a general term for the fertilizer used in the garden, composed of manure, soil, organic decaying vegetable matter, campfire ash (potash) and earthworms. Compost needs to be mixed and rotated by pitchfork biweekly to decompose into fertilizer. When it is rotated it heats to 40-60 deg. C as mentioned in the composting toilets section ... here's an example: JourneyToForever
Organic gardening is a type of gardening that is all-natural and, like wind generators and solar power it is sustainable for the environment. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are not used (which damage the soil and water). For more details on organic gardening and farming see Organic_Gardening. The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener by Eliot Coleman is a great beginning book for organic gardening and farming (highly recommended). No artificial pesticides, herbicides, genetic engineering or fertilizers are used. It is a more difficult form of gardening/farming, but is better for the environment and for us. A simple organic pesticide can be made from diced onion and garlic in a spray bottle solution with water.
It is speculative if organic farming is good for competitive or commercial farming. It is certainly better for the soil and wildlife and will be used in the future ... but may not be competitive now. Use your own judgment to stay competitive and protect the soil, water and wildlife now in commercial farming. Native approaches to gardening are usually 'organic' and have been used since antiquity, harmonizing our existence with nature. Use these ancient techniques (and borrow some, as in the case of native American techniques) as much as possible. Some links on organic farming include...
JourneyToForever (and see links!)
Appropriate_Rural_Technology_Institute
IPMCRSP
Agromisa (this may also be useful for union organizers in farming)
Asian_Rural_Institute
Bothar(farm animals)
Farm_Radio_Network
Food_and_Agriculture_Organization_of_the_United_Nations
Heifer
IFOAM
MESA
Soil_Association
WWOOF
Goat's milk, osha, echinacea, corn, soy bean, sweet potato, brown rice (in very wet areas) and water melon make for a great survival garden. Osha and echinacea stimulate the immune system (which prevents viral diseases like a cold), soy is a great source of protein, sweet potato is the vegetable highest in vitamins and water melon is a great treat. Brown rice is an ideal food for wet areas; brown rice is good for the nervous system. Soy bean can be turned into 'tofu', a great meat substitute. You can make tofu from soy yourself, and that is a very nutritious thing to do, and a good replacement for meat. Look up 'making tofu' on Google and see what you find. If you choose to give up meat and eat tofu, you will need to eat some rice with tofu to make complete proteins for strong muscles. Also, goat milk is similar to mother's milk and is a great substitute for baby food if a child can't breastfeed. Check with a doctor about that. And remember that all fruits and vegetables can be dried in the sun (dehydrated) for traveling.
A website on sustainable agriculture (agriculture for the long-term benefit of us and the soil/environment) and other agriscience research questions is U.S._Department_of_Agriculture
In agriculture, I really suggest using the old, native traditions of your area in conjunction with the ongoing wisdom of advancements in agriculture. There are books on amazon.com on sustainable, organic agriculture (and any type of agriculture) as well as university programs. The ancient farming practices of local elders is really your first step in understanding agriculture. The web of our ecosystem is very fragile and the ancient practices of local elders in growing locally cultivated produce is very experienced and should be considered first. Local university agriscience and agriculture departments are your next bet for asking tough questions. If they don't know your answers, jump on Google and find a university close by with an agriculture department. Email the appropriate professor and find out how you can solve your problem. Also, development organizations like International_Development_Research_Center may be able to help or direct you with tough problems. See also International_Development_Network for more on sustainable development.
Some of the best organic farming in the world has its roots (or history) in China and India. Their universities are great resources for top level farming. In China they have a history of 'terracing' that prevents erosion and utilizes water well. I found a book that may be of value to you, Agricultural Terracing in the Aboriginal New World by R.A. Donkin. Also, tree and vines are important to use on the banks of areas that might suffer from erosion.
I asked around to find out about tractors and a good, efficient tractor retailer is Kubota ; this tractor is cost-efficient and very useful, a good buy if you are looking for a small tractor. You may find better tractors at a lower cost in your area.
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