Building in sustainability my way...

According to Wikipedia here's the unofficial definition...

Sustainable agriculture:  The phrase was reportedly coined by Australian agricultural scientist Gordon McClymont.^[1] It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term.

So, how do we actually do this?  It appears that it may be put into practice differently for each specific location according to the above definition and I must say, I agree with that concept.  I watched an interesting and somewhat controversial video today called "Back To Eden" and it addresses sustainability, mostly in the form of composting with wood chips.  There were many references to the original "Garden" and that God apparently intended for this very thing because it was good.  Whether you agree or not is not my intent, really.  What I did want to point to were the ways that I could apply a similar principle to my site-specific location.  I believe that I could incorporate the general premise but not necessarily all the details. I don't feel, as one urban gardener stated in the video, that this concept was given to us now because of the state of the world.  As far as I can tell, people have mulched and composted for centuries because it eliminates the need to water.

Right?

Right.

I would not want to introduce "foreign" wood chips, made from any old tree.  Here's why...people cut down diseased trees and I don't want a truckload of that. But, I would consider looking at what I already have here on my land to use.  I have some rather beautiful live oaks that drop some leaves, but not all, hence the "live" reference.  I could conceiveable rake up a load of leaves and composte all my garden beds.  Also, I have alot of pine straw at the back of my property.  This would make the perfect blueberry mulch.  To me, it makes sense to use what you already have to sustain your land, if at all possible. I have two huge brush piles that will degrade soon enough to use as mulch, too.

So, now the wheels are turning and I have thought of some other ways I can encourage sustainability.  One way is to adopt a "no till" stance.  In other words, no tractor, no tiller, no tilling. Eek! (I don't have a tractor, anyway!)  Instead, I will dig the garden beds I need to plant my vegetables by removing the surface grass and using those clods of grass upside down on top of other areas to mulch and remove grass over time. I'll get two for one...using a practice that will have a longterm affect.  Tilling actually ruins your soil, over time.  Instead, I will heavily mulch my garden beds in the winter or possibly plant a cover crop to restore nutrients. My rows are wide and deep, heavily mulched and I should get great yield in less space.  In the spring, I will be ready to plant by removing the mulch.  Unfortunately, all the hard work is happening now, digging the beds.  (My knees and back aren't thrilled and are rebelling, big time).  My melon patch looks like circular mounds cut out with a cookie cutter!  Unconventional but sustainable, all the same. 

As time goes on, I will keep expanding on the concept of sustainability because I want to be able to sustain my farm, my health, my love for farming and to offer only the best produce for others.  Here is a great point made in the video that I have been saying over and over...Remember, if a piece of fruit or vegetable is so perfect that there aren't any blemishes or evidence that a bug may have taken a bite, then it only means that bugs won't go after something that tastes like poison, so why should you?

Perfectly imperfect...as nature intended. That's my motto.