Organic farming that could work. Thoughts?

[Old Cowzilla]

Local organic farm that's been that way for 20 years or more keeps alot of cows , mob grazes and silage wraps feed to control weeds cuts early . Dare I say a plow controls weeds very well but some cover crop before freeze up would be required. They farm sandy soil so bare ground is rare around there. I see food on store shelves marked 80 % organic now how long before the marketplace screws that up ?

[ajl]

Buddy of mine did this for a number of years. He would seed alfalfa and then get the land certified as organic. Then he did a couple of organic crops. I ran the combine on one of his organic flax crops one year and it was a good crop. Then as weed pressure built up it would be back to conventional for a few years to clean up. Need glyphosate to kill the thistle before putting back into forage. He was not of the 'organic' cult, just found a way to pocket some premiums that may exist.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Buddy of mine did this for a number of years. He would seed alfalfa and then get the land certified as organic. Then he did a couple of organic crops. I ran the combine on one of his organic flax crops one year and it was a good crop. Then as weed pressure built up it would be back to conventional for a few years to clean up. Need glyphosate to kill the thistle before putting back into forage. He was not of the 'organic' cult, just found a way to pocket some premiums that may exist.

Supposedly the certifiers frown on that practice, of switching acres in and out. Not sure if they have any teeth to enforce it though?

It certainly goes against the spirit of the movement. But when most of the regulations are so ridiculous, assinine and arbitrary, that exploiting the loopholes is a necessity.

[Sheepwheat]

I don’t seem to have quackgrass really. Can someone explain how it can get a foothold using my theory, so I could change what needs changing?

One thing about how I have farmed that is already different, is living with weeds on occasion and not panicking if some are out there. If I had a few small patches of Canada thistle for example in my grain year, I wouldn’t care much. If it looked like the general long term organic fields do, starving for nutrients and covered in weeds I would care. Because it would obviously be affecting yield. But after a few years of hay, I see no thistles left. Upon breaking up the forage, do they suddenly re appear? And become a threat in six months?

[Sheepwheat]

And the point. Not going to feed the world and cannot be sustained on large scale. As hobby go for it. Knock yourself out.

I’ve been pondering what you mean here. Because I plan on small acres, that makes it a hobby? Even if it contributes to my bottom line? Trying to decide if this is a personal smear again, or just a general statement?

[jamesb]

Two of my organic buddies either plant sweet clover and do a plow down a year after wheat or plant alfalfa and have several years to build organic matter and the nitrogen levels that were severely depleted. In my parts its wild mustard that is the curse of the organic guys and quickly makes a huge weed seed bank for future years.

[checking]

Anyone wish to go gold mining?

I think washing rocks would be a lot more entertaining than cleaning organic grain. Tony Beets has a saying, "sucks to be you "

Yet, in another lifetime, I'd have the same land base, and sow a fifth of it to flax each year. The rest would be seeded to alfalfa/grass, left standing, and waiting for its turn to be flax.

Problem of fertilizer reduction - solved. Problem of weed control - solved. Concern for feeding the world - solved. Now, if only a company would develop a four year terminator alfalfa - grass mix.

Dreaming of another lifetime.

[ajl]

Supposedly the certifiers frown on that practice, of switching acres in and out. Not sure if they have any teeth to enforce it though?

It certainly goes against the spirit of the movement. But when most of the regulations are so ridiculous, assinine and arbitrary, that exploiting the loopholes is a necessity.

The hard core 'organic' cult members don't like this practice but to a certifier an inspection is a fee earned. So long as it meets the rules as written why not? This is likely the only practical way of getting around the problems of 'organic' status as unfortunately to operate otherwise is to believe in the existence of the 'free lunch'. He gave me a copy of the manual put out by the certification agency because I was interested in trying it too. It was an inch thick.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

. Now, if only a company would develop a four year terminator alfalfa - grass mix.

Dreaming of another lifetime.

That and so many other innovations that could potentially make organic viable sustainable and profitable. And about the only way we could potentially accomplish any of them would be by using genetic modification.
Unfortunately, the marketers of the undifferentiable organic products has chosen to demonize GMO as the only way to attempt to differentiate their products in the marketplace. Effectively shooting themselves in the foot to prevent any future progress in the industry.