"We cannot win this battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well - for we will not fight to save what we do not love."
- Stephen Jay Gould Ecosystems have been described as the life support of the Earth(2) Ecosystems are have natural biodiversity, because species are interdependent upon each other. When we examine closely the needs of even a single plant, we will find it depends on multiple living organisms , on fungi, bacteria, nematodes, pollinators, insects, birds etc. Having diverse genetic material and biodiversity gives a ecosystems resilience, and the ability to weather environmental challenges. Monoculture agriculture, and poisonous chemicals which kill off plants, insects, soil bacteria and soil fungi create fragility of the ecosystem and infertility of the soil. Extinctions are proceeding at a rate of 1000 to 10,000(3) times the normal rate. There are better ways of managing the wonderful and amazing ecosystems of the earth. We need to support agricultural systems(like silvopasture) and permaculture that are more diversified and resilient. We need to support agriculture that provides habitat for wild plants and animals. We can improve soil fertility when we grow plants that fix nitrogen, that accumulate nutrients, that have extensive root systems that improve aeration and water penetration, that are known to attract insects and birds and animals, that improve water quality etc. When we support agricultural practices that include and/or allow plantings of native shrubs, trees, flowers and grasses, we support all the wildlife and soil organisms that are associated with these plants. When we support the plants that are specialized to our biomes, we are providing homes and food for the native wildlife, and preventing extinctions. We are saving the genetic heritage for our biome. Be enchancing the soil fertility and improving the water quality, we are creating a world that sustains our lives. What supports our wildlife, supports us too. (1)http://www.agroforestry.org/overstory-back-issues/268-overstory-253-the-value-of-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services (2)http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/food-crisis/page/3569.aspx (3)http://manitobawildlands.org/bio_species.htm
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Silvopasture is the intentional combination trees, forage and livestock managed as a single practice.
This practice diversifies the products of a farm, protecting it from market swings of commodity prices, agricultural policy decisions and from crop failures. This type of farming is particularly beneficial for wildlife. Generally trees improve soil fertility by retaining carbon, increasing soil aeration and improving soil moisture levels Using rows of trees protects soil from erosion and gives livestock sun protection and shade. If planted to shield the property from the prevailing winds, the protected microclimate can increase the yield of conventional crops. And a well designed shelter belt can act as a windbreak, a snow fence and reduce windchill stress for livestock When nitrogen fixing trees or shrubs are utilized, the need for fertilizer is reduced or eliminated. Some trees grow in areas unsuitable for grasses such as poorly drained soils or wet areas. This provides forage for browsing animals that would otherwise require chemicals or drainage to be usable. When livestock are able to browse, they have access to nutrients not otherwise available, improving their health. Alleycropping is when an agricultural crop is grown simultaneously with a long term tree crop. Fine woods such as oak or walnut are examples of this system. The yield there can be from nuts, and later, once the wood is mature, from the sale of logs for veneers. Farmers that have livestock such as pigs can also bring the pigs in to eat the nuts that fell during harvest. So a well planned and managed system can have significant economic value to the farmer. I am very much in favour of silvopasture because of its potential to improve the soil and to increase biodiversity. This system is visually beautiful, so we are creating a lovely place to be in. Biodiversity is good for wildlife , good for the soil, food for livestock and good for the farmer.(because of diversification of products and in some cases increased profits) We need to encourage our government and farmers to learn about these systems and implement them the long term benefits to our ecosystems. We need to be implementing systems that will last for millenniums. Picture creditBy USDA NAC [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/pubs/dvdorderform.php http://forest.mtu.edu/pcforestry/resources/studentprojects/silvopasture.html Silvopasture is the intentional combination trees, forage and livestock managed as a single practice. This practice diversifies the products of a farm, protecting it from market swings of commodity prices, agricultural policy decisions and from crop failures. This type of farming is particularly beneficial for wildlife. Generally trees improve soil fertility by retaining carbon, increasing soil aeration and improving soil moisture levels Using rows of trees protects soil from erosion and gives livestock sun protection and shade. If planted to shield the property from the prevailing winds, the protected microclimate can increase the yield of conventional crops. And a well designed shelter belt can act as a windbreak, a snow fence and reduce windchill stress for livestock When nitrogen fixing trees or shrubs are utilized, the need for fertilizer is reduced or eliminated. Some trees grow in areas unsuitable for grasses such as poorly drained soils or wet areas. This provides forage for browsing animals that would otherwise require chemicals or drainage to be usable. When livestock are able to browse, they have access to nutrients not otherwise available, improving their health. Alleycropping is when an agricultural crop is grown simultaneously with a long term tree crop. Fine woods such as oak or walnut are examples of this system. The yield there can be from nuts, and later, once the wood is mature, from the sale of logs for veneers. Farmers that have livestock such as pigs can also bring the pigs in to eat the nuts that fell during harvest. So a well planned and managed system can have significant economic value to the farmer. I am very much in favour of silvopasture because of its potential to improve the soil and to increase biodiversity. This system is visually beautiful, so we are creating a lovely place to be in. Biodiversity is good for wildlife , good for the soil, food for livestock and good for the farmer.(because of diversification of products and in some cases increased profits) We need to encourage our government and farmers to learn about these systems and implement them the long term benefits to our ecosystems. We need to be implementing systems that will last for millenniums. Picture creditBy USDA NAC [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/practices/ http://forest.mtu.edu/pcforestry/resources/studentprojects/silvopasture.html http://nac.unl.edu/documents/workingtrees/brochures/wtl.pdf http://www.poplarandwillow.org.nz/files/poplars-and-willows-as-fodder.pdf http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/range556/Appl_BEHAVE/projects/NPS_willow.html http://nac.unl.edu/practices/silvopasture.htm Good health and good sense are two of life's greatest blessings.
Publilius Syrus I don't want poisons in and on my food! Chemical herbicides and pesticides are poisons, plain and simple. Unfortunately agri-chemical multinational companies have infiltrated farming organizations and governments. Wildlife organisations, that should be speaking up against these poisons, because of their devastating impact on wildlife, have been silenced by huge corporate donations. All of us need to start learning about the toxicity of these poisons so we can speak out against them. We need to learn about the healthy and non toxic alternatives that are being used throughout the world. Say "NO" to poisons! Say "NO" to corporate driven farmer's organizations that are pushing to spread poisons! Say "NO" to corporate influenced government officials who are colluding with agri-chemical multinational companies. Say "No" to poisonous chemicals. We neither need them or want them! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_pesticides http://www.fws.gov/invasives/stafftrainingmodule/methods/chemical/impacts.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicide http://www.upci.upmc.edu/ceo/pdf/CEO_atrazine.pdf http://www.savethefrogs.com/threats/pesticides/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethoxylated_tallow_amine http://extension.psu.edu/pests/weeds/control/adjuvants-for-enhancing-herbicide-performance http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/2,4-DTech.html#toxbox http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp7.pdf http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/dicamba_tech.html#toxbox http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/glyphotech.html#acute http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/imidacloprid.html#toxbox How does nitrogen enter the food web? Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.
Gerard De Nerval This native perennial herb is a member of the coffee family and its tiny seeds can be roasted as a coffee substitute. A native to Northern Europe as well as North America, its pleasant smell when dried(like newly mown grass) has made it popular historically in Europe as a stuffing for mattresses and pillows. It grows by seed and by rhizomes and although rare, is widely distributed. The efficiency of its propagation by rhizomes causes it to sometimes form dense stands. Some of its species produce a chemical called asperuloside. Asperuloside can produce coumarin which is the compound that gives Northern bedstraw its sweet smell. Coumarin repels insects which was another reason for its popularity as bedding. Coumarins have reportedly caused toxicity to the liver and the kidney. Furthermore, some forms of coumarin block Vitamin K. Without vitamin K, the protein produced by the liver to clot blood is reduced. This causes an increased bleeding risk and if a lot of coumarin is consumed, fatal bleeding can occur. Coumarin has been used medicinally to treat blood clots and prevent strokes in patient's with heart arrhythmias. This genus is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry because asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins. Plants For A Future(PFAF) report that the young plant leaves are edible both raw or cooked. However given its possible toxicity, caution is advised especially for women or for anyone with a bleeding condition. Just about all grazing animals and birds eat this plant. The nectar of its small flowers attracts small bees and small flies. So it is considered a good plant to attract native pollinators as well as beneficial insects. (Beneficial insects help reduce populations of pest insects) Its flowers and leaves are food for insects, moths and butterflies. We still don't know a lot about its faunal relationships. This plant and members of its family, play an important role in healthy ecosystems of North America and Europe. It provides food for insects as well as animals. It has multiple known useful functions for humans, and is being studied further for its medicinal potential. We would be wise to revere this plant and learn more about the many roles it plays and its importance for the many plants and animals associated with it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galium_boreale http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Galium+boreale http://books.google.ca/books?id=wCODAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=what+animals+eat+galium+boreal&source=bl&ots=Qm_pJszLaK&sig=ZB-CYbdhmVB7JFylyjVCYuIA5Rs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6_5WVNWOK9SeyATDhoCIAw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=what%20animals%20eat%20galium%20boreal&f=false http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wild_madderx.htm http://homebuggarden.blogspot.ca/2010_07_01_archive.html photo credit NIGEL CATTLIN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient and a limiting factor in plant growth. The nodules on the soybean roots in the picture above contain special bacteria from the genus called Rhyzobia. An incredible exchange takes place between them that benefits them both, allowing both of them flourish. Plants are unable to use nitrogen from the air. Algae and bacteria are the only organisms capable of changing the nitrogen gas in the air into nitrogen compounds able to be used by the plants. It takes a huge amount of energy for the bacteria to break the bonds of the nitrogen gas. So within the nodule attached to the plant root, the plant supplies the energy and nutrients to the bacteria and the bacteria provides the nitrogen compounds to the plant. This association between the rhyzobium bacteria and the legume plant is an amazing example of mutualism. Each type of legume needs a specific species of rhyzobium (1)(2) For instance, the species of rhyzobium that can fix nitrogen for the soybean, cannot fix nitrogen for the pea plant. In agricultural settings, innoculants of rhyzobia are mixed with legume seeds to induce nodulation and nitrogen fixation by that legume. For instance, Alfalfa and sweet clover can be nodulated with Rhizobia meliloti True clovers can be nodulated with Rhyzobia trifolii Soyabeans with rhyzobia japonicum Peas and True vetch with Cr leguminosarium etc Soils are the most complex part of an ecosystem and and least well studied and least understood. For a nitrogen fixing plant to function its best in its specific ecosystem, it needs its own specialized rhyzobia. As well, each species of rhyzobia need a specific legume to function its best. Nitrogen fixing plants that grow on the prairies are specialists…able to survive extremes temperature fluctuations from harsh winters to hot dry summers. The rhyzobia bacteria are also specialists for our climate and conditions. These plants and their associated bacteria are part of a prairie grassland ecosystem that produced rich, thick and fertile soils called black chernozems. These incredible soils, so rich in organic matter, produced cereal crops of high yield and quality. These soils were so valuable for farming, that less than one percent of these grasslands now remain intact. (3) All the rest were ploughed and utilized for conventional tillage farming. Learning about ryzobia and their interactions in the prairie ecosystem, will help us appreciate the importance the prairie legumes plants and all the life forms(plant and animal) that depend on them for their survival. Allowing prairie legume plants to grow, increases and maintains the fertility of our soils. (1)http://extension.psu.edu/plants/crops/forages/successful-forage-establishment/inoculation-of-forage-and-grain-legumes (2)http://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/ia/agronomytechnote11attach.pdf_ (3)http://www.prairiesoilsandcrops.ca/articles/volume-3-6-screen.pdf People must feel that the natural world is important and valuable and beautiful and wonderful and an amazement and a pleasure.
David Attenborough Today I have planted milkweed seeds that I collected from the prairie restoration in the park behind our house. I only took a few seeds. But look at the floss! It so light and fluffy and soft. No wonder it is used as a down substitute. General Henry Dearborn gave this account of milkweed use in the Massachusetts Horticultural Register in the late 1820’s: “The silk, when taken from the pods, and being freed from the seed, is hung up in thin bags in the sun, and when perfectly dry may be used without any further preparation, instead of feathers, horse hair, wool or cotton, for cushions, bolsters, pillows, mattresses; and coverlets. From eight to nine pounds is sufficient for a bed, bolster, and two pillows. It is lighter and warmer, when used in forming coverlets comforters than cotton, or wool, and nearly equal to eider down.” Grow little seed and provide food for the Monarch Butterfly caterpillar. And nectar and pollen for bumble bees and all the other pollinators and insects that can benefit from an abundant nectar source. And floss for lining the humming birds nests. How sad is it that in the foolishness of man, and in the greed of corporations, that this amazing plant is included in The Noxious Weed Act of Manitoba to be destroyed with poisonous chemicals! Please read about this plant and then read The Noxious Weed Act of Manitoba. And if you agree that we need to treasure our wonderful flowers and plants of Manitoba….and not poison our land and water with toxic chemicals, please call your MLA and the Minister Kostyshyn Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher. ~William Wordsworth Nitrogen Fixating Plants These amazing plants are responsible for the the the abundance of nitrogen in our soils. They create fertility of our land and support an abundance of life. We would only have a fraction of the vegetation and wild life without them. So lets take the time to learn about them and treasure them. photo credit www.prairieoriginals.com
"When we tug at a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world." ― John Muir Despite most of the trees around here having shed their leaves, my Honey Crisp apple tree does not seem to know it is fall…its leaves are still a bright green colour. It suffered last year from a weed whacker"s blow with a loss of one third of the circumference of its bark and after the harsh Winnipeg winter, it looked dead in the spring. It was only a bare stick after all the trees had leafed out and the crab apples in the park were in bloom. So I was sad at the loss. We had already been without an apple tree for 3 years waiting for fireblight to loose its infectivity…our Goodland apple tree had succumbed to that disease after over 20 years of yearly production of hundreds of apples. So I expected to unearth that darkened stick and replace it. Then the wonder of nature manifested itself with greenery about two feet from the ground….it was alive and it was the grafted tree not the root stock growing. And today another miracle….a small lady bug perched on the top of the tree that almost died. How incredible and amazing is that? I am proud that my garden is a haven for beneficial insects including ladybugs, lacewings and pirate bugs. I have seen them all. There are no chemical pesticides or herbicides in this sanctuary. I had read about the amazing ability of beneficial insects to reduce pest insects in the garden and on crops in books about permaculture. I had also read about companion gardening. To attract these garden helpers, you need to provide plants and conditions in your garden that they like. Most people know about ladybugs and their help in reducing aphids. But there are many other insects that kill and control pests in a variety of ways. If you don't use poisonous pesticides and herbicides and you grow a wide variety of plants you will have armies of tiny warriors killing and parasitizing harmful insects. Pollen, nectar and organic matter covering the soil provide our hard working friends with food, water and cover. We need to provide these provisions throughout the season for them. In my garden the early nectar and pollen sources are grape vines, dandelions, welsh onions and our linden tree. Later wild climbing roses and chives bloom and are welcomed by my insect friends. Then Russian Sage and Goldenrod and the mints take over. I allow weeds such as climbing vetch and Asters to grow because I have seen many bees and other insects arriving at those plants. When oregano, basil, thyme and coriander grow and start to produce flowers, I usually allow them to continue even though I know the leaves will loose their flavour when these spices develop flowers. But I love to see the many bees and other insects visiting them. Without the use of pesticides, my small garden produces over 200 pounds of portuguese kale , huge boxes of tomatoes, a huge box of squash, many cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, swiss chard, lettuce, beets and onions. We have cherries, grapes and gooseberries. There is so much abundance. Conventional farming, with its reliance on poisonous chemicals and its emphasis on monoculture with a lack of a wide variety of flowering plants has resulted in a drastic reduction of these beneficial insects. It then becomes a vicious cycle. Pesticides killing beneficials. Lack of floral resources for beneficials resulting in decreased populations. Then there is a need for even more pesticides. This results in even less beneficials and the cycle continues. Yet what many organic and permaculture farmers have learned is that nature in its marvel will take care of these pests for us. And provide us with ample food. And reward us beauty and fragrance . And the garden that gives us our food is a wonder filled safe haven for birds and animals and children, and so importantly free of toxic chemicals. Lets make that world for our fellow creatures and for our children and their children's children. When we are selfish and greedy, we always get less. Lets be generous…it is not all for us and was never meant to be. When we care for the earth with the reverence it deserves, we will receive so much more in return. These are some wonderful resources about beneficial insects and the plants that support them http://nativeplants.msu.edu/about/biological_control/natural_enemies http://nativeplants.msu.edu/plant_facts Below is a video discussing organic pest control |
CategoriesAuthorManitoba is where I was born and where I have spent most of the five and one half decades of my life. I lived on the outskirts of the town of Portage La Prairie at a time when tadpoles and frogs inhabited the ditches and ponds, when there were many Monarch butterflies each summer along with dragon flies and grasshoppers. Redwing blackbirds perched the cattails of the ditches. As children we picked dandelions for bouquets and made wishes before blowing dandelion seed heads. We searched clover for lucky four leaves and rolled on the grass…there was no concern of poisonous herbicides. The grass was thick. Wherever we dug…there were earthworms Archives
September 2015
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