Mark Fulford: Retooling to Repair Soils Simultaneous to Cropping | 2019 Soil & Nutrition Conference

Retooling to Repair Soils Simultaneous to Cropping Mark Fulford https://bionutrient.org/ We are beginning to re-think the entrenched framework of monocropping, and instead re-learning to intercrop plant families that we have unquestioningly isolated in our farm strategies for the convenience and efficiency of mechanized harvest and marketing, referring to all other species other than the target crop as "weeds." As we shift away from this mindset, retooling is becoming a necessity to an agriculture that is not only smart, profitable and sustainable, but regenerative. There are many components to this transition – simple and fresh inventions which encompass smaller, far more nimble and multifunctioning 2- and 4-wheel tractors, and even draft animal equipment. And in many cases, we can even eliminate multiple, separate steps by combining all-in-one-pass tools and equipment. We will dig into the methods, sequences and timing of many Systems of Crop Intensification. Rather than increase acreage in production, let's focus on repairing and nurturing the soil so that it can function and produce crops at maximum potential. Let's make the space for the plants show us a thing or two about making soils comfortable. From the 2019 Soil & Nutrition Conference: https://soilandnutrition.org/ Conference archive freely available at https://bionutrient.org/soil-and-nutr... Learn more about the Bionutrient Food Association: https://bionutrient.org/ Mark Fulford This explains Mark very simply, “Quality of life is a health issue. Good health is food dependent, and good food depends on soil health.” Mark Fulford is a well known, independent farm consultant and educator whose range of topics and expertise encompasses: transitioning from conventional to organic and biological agriculture; soil, crop, and forage nutrition; and preparing agriculture for peak oil, climate change and economic drift. He also teaches non-electric water technologies, hands-on skills in organic orcharding, organic no-till crop production, commercial and small scale composting, as well as fundamental rural skills and small farm food preservation. Mark addresses audiences from a wide range of backgrounds and philosophies embracing common sense, science and cultural wisdom for the times we live in. His lifelong study of the natural world and immersion in agriculture on his own farm and abroad, grounds his practices in experience. Mark and his wife, Paula, own and operate Teltane Farm in Monroe, Maine.