Thursday, July 17, 2014

The New Climate: Drought and the Future of Farming or How We Can Restore Our Planet By Planting Trees

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Here in California drought is raising the questions about the future of farming in the Central Valley.  A great amount of fear was whipped up by the end of January with no significant amounts of rain falling since the start of the fall/winter season and the drought intensifying further.  I was considering not planting a garden this year due to the extreme drought.  Then I started reading Restoration Agriculture by Mark Shepard.  It is a most pragmatic call to action in a world that needs practical solutions. 



Your Food Security

The federal government has said the water allotment for the farms in the Central Valley this year will be nonexistent.  In the face of a continually erratic climate the need for food and water security is becoming an issue that clearly cannot be solved by the status quo.  The pressure to build secure systems that can withstand more frequent weather extremes like drought and flood is clear.  These systems are already in existence: they are models of perennial agriculture and agroforestry as defined by the USDA.  The techniques they use to harness and replenish groundwater while building soil are mimics of natural ecosystems.  They are amazingly efficient in how they can produce nutritious food as they become established as well as sequester carbon and create forage and fodder for raising animals.  In fact Mr. Shepard states at the beginning of his book that all civilizations that have depended on annual crops for their sustenance have failed.  That's right, all of them.  The difference is we've managed to destroy our topsoil in the much shorter time frame of 100 years.

Taking Back Carbon

Before deforestation of the eastern woodlands and the removal of native perennial grasslands of the Midwest for annual crop production our landscape was filled with these ecosystems.  Now we have put ourselves in the difficult position of having lost tons of precious topsoil and water to grow three commodity crops: corn, soy, and wheat.  Despite how dire things may look in the face of more extreme weather, it is possible to build soil and recharge the aquifers we need to feed ourselves.  These problems exist more from bad management and policy than they do from lack of resources.  By removing the savannas that existed in North America for thousands of years we removed key species for carbon sequestration.  In fact the removal of savannas and forests has caused widespread desertification and the loss of tons of topsoil per year so we can grow calories that are erroneously labeled as cheap.  What has become clear is that we cannot hope to cope with climate changes if we continue to tear up the very land that can store the carbon that is being put in the atmosphere.  

What the hell is Agroforestry?

The USDA defines agroforestry as "the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits."  Although this technique has been around for centuries it is the exception to the rule.  With the rise of industrialization and fast food agriculture became focused on increasing yields of huge mono crops and the mechanization to easily plant, spray, and harvest.  Thus the idea of farms based on perennial crops and polycultures seems to be antiquated.  However it is possible to change the idea of what a farm can be and what our definition of a staple crop is.  We need to look past the corn, soy, and wheat paradigm to plants that will provide not only more nutrition over many years but are also part of restoring ecosystems where other plants can thrive.

When I look to the future of farming I see the people that are working with nature and not against it.  In the field of agroforestry, Mark Shepard's New Forest Farm stands out like a beacon over a corn and soy paved country.  Incorporating nut and fruit trees, asparagus, berries, livestock, and even annuals grown in the alleys between the trees, the farm is an amazing example of a restorative and resilient system.  He is proving that it is possible to produce incredible abundance on a broad scale.



Plant a Tree--(Yes It's Really That Simple)

Should I never plant any tomatoes or zucchini again?  No, of course I'm not saying this.  What you can do is plant more trees.  Wherever you can.  It doesn't even have to be in your own yard.  When we use trees and other perennial crops as a foundation we can create systems that support the growth of annuals.  You are not only harvesting a food crop year after year with minimal labor, you are giving benefits back to the planet that will last beyond your lifetime.  I believe if we have any chance and continuing our journey on this planet we must think as far ahead as possible.
This man is doing it.  Why not you too?