I sure got an eyeful yesterday driving to the east where they got some 6 plus inches of rain. The erosion was horrible. All that topsoil. And knowing the rush everyone was in the days before - all the chemicals, all the fertilizer spread - now washing its way down to take its part in that dead zone in the gulf of mexico, as well as in our lakes. 30 years ago it would have been quite a bit less; there were so many more dairy farmers then and fields in grass & alfalfa. Except for the irresponsibly spread raw manure. Now its all dug up dirt. And another thing - if the soils there are like I have found around here, about 2% or less of organic matter ,which will only absorb maybe 2 inches of rain. I have added over a percent of organic matter, my soils could have absorbed the most of all that - especially since my land is in forage, my soils could have absorbed - and used - in the inevitable drought we will have sometime this summer - that rain. Using my swales, check dams in those swales to slow down & retain the water, soon to be reservoirs, that rain wont leave my property, and absolutely not to the soil leaving the property, and since I dont use those chemicals or harsh fertilizers, only very stable compost, not contributing to those problems either. Wouldnt it be nice to think that our government would heavily subsidize what Im doing in order to get a lot more of it? We have to rely on those that get it to vote their dollars. Thank to all that do! Mark laid out my keyline swales back in 2010. Wishing I had the help and the funds to put in the trees to complete the vision. Scott
Posted on: Fri, 16 May 2014 15:49:32 +0000
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