Organic Farming
05 Dec 2008
Boggy Creek Farm shows us how to farm organicOrganic Farming: Can It Feed Us (Part 1)
18 Nov 2008
VVH-TV News Special
Organic Farming: Can It Feed Us? Part 1
Karl Grossman Chief Investigative Reporter examines Organic Farming on Eastern Long Island.
What is organic farming?
Organic farming can be defined as an approach to agriculture where the aim is to create integrated, humane, environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural production systems. Maximum reliance is placed on locally or farm-derived renewable resources and the management of self-regulating ecological and biological processes and interactions in order to provide acceptable levels of crop, livestock and human nutrition, protection from pests and diseases, and an appropriate return to the human and other resources employed. Reliance on external inputs, whether chemical or organic, is reduced as far as possible. In many European countries, organic agriculture is known as ecological agriculture, reflecting this reliance on ecosystem management rather than external inputs.
The objective of sustainability lies at the heart of organic farming and is one of the major factors determining the acceptability or otherwise of specific production practices. The term ’sustainable’ is used in its widest sense, to encompass not just conservation of non-renewable resources (soil, energy, minerals) but also issues of environmental, economic and social sustainability. The term ‘organic’ is best thought of as referring to the concept of the farm as an organism, in which all the component parts - the soil minerals, organic matter, micro-organisms, insects, plants, animals and humans - interact to create a coherent and stable whole.
The key characteristics of organic farming include:
protecting the long term fertility of soils by maintaining organic matter levels, encouraging soil biological activity, and careful mechanical intervention;
providing crop nutrients indirectly using relatively insoluble nutrient sources which are made available to the plant by the action of soil micro-organisms;
nitrogen self-sufficiency through the use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures;
weed, disease and pest control relying primarily on crop rotations, natural predators, diversity, organic manuring, resistant varieties and limited (preferably minimal) thermal, biological and chemical intervention;
the extensive management of livestock, paying full regard to their evolutionary adaptations, behavioural needs and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding and rearing;
careful attention to the impact of the farming system on the wider environment and the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.
(c) WVVH-TV 2007 all rights reserved
Duration : 0:35:13
To live as simply as possible, to live in harmony with nature. All things are possible to a certain extent.
The modern technological world has made its people its subjects; it has made them ignorant and keeps them in ignorance. We are basically ignorant, ignorant of the basics–where does our food come from? Where does our water come from? And importantly, where do our wastes go? We live cut off from ourselves because of this lack-of-touch with the natural things. And our foundation is weakened, and there is no way we can build onto the self in such a state.
So I must go back as far as I can. I must find out where to get water to drink. Can I afford to wait any longer to begin this back-track? Should I gather more accessories and build up a secure foothold first in this world?
What do I need? I need only land and water–so I can live. Why do other people Want more, and why do other people want me to have more. I want less and less. If I am alive and learning, what more? I need to learn how to grow food. How long should I wait to do this?
I am 25 1/2
Jules Dervaes Jr, 1973
Duration : 0:3:56
Urban Homestead - Solar Outdoor Shower
12 Nov 2008
Water Conservation Efforts:
- low flush toilets
- toilet lid sink
- reusing laundry water
- limit toilet flushings
- limit baths/showers - mulching
- handwatering
- clay pot irrigation
- solar outdoor shower
DIY Projects:
- solar oven
- cob oven
- solar outdoor shower
- depaved driveway/patio
- installed solar panels
- roofing
- sheds, etc
- animal enclosure, etc
- this website
- urban homesteading
- front load washer
- food not lawns
Duration : 0:3:33
Planting Hens and Chicks
06 Nov 2008
Kristin planted a succulent called “hens and chicks” today in walkway. It is the first plant in our perennial garden, and we’re very excited to start getting some plants in the ground to help prevent soil erosion.
The Urban Homesteaders live in the South Wedge in Rochester, New York.
Find out more at www.TheUrbanHomesteaders.com
Thanks for commenting and subscribing!
Duration : 0:4:29
Compost Tea
22 Oct 2008
Brewing a batch of aerated worm casting tea. Great for boosting all living systems in the garden and right on plants.
Duration : 0:4:35
Oct Garden Update
14 Oct 2008
Greetings,
A few minute tour of the garden. Thanks for watching.
Duration : 0:4:20
A Visit Back to our Old Homestead Part 1
02 Oct 2008
We went back to our old house and I took some video of the homesteading infrastructure that we built there including our two straw bale barns, pastures and our compost pile. The woods across the street had been eaten up by the urban sprawl monster.
Duration : 0:7:22
Kristin’s Vlog #2 (PART 2) - Soil Building
30 Sep 2008
…finishing my little chat on improving our soil. Please rate, comment, subscribe!
www.TheUrbanHomesteaders.com
theurbanhomesteaders@gmail.com
Duration : 0:10:0
Kuri Squash from Victor Farmers Market
21 Sep 2008
Kristin cooks up a kuri squash from Victor Farmers Market.
TheUrbanHomesteaders.com is a blog that documents the life of one Rochester, NY couple as they try to change to a more sustainable lifestyle. The site is designed to educate people on cheap and easy ways to adopt ‘green’ choices in their life.
We’re hoping this video series will lead us to new friends and discussions, so that we can learn from those who are much wiser in the ways of sustainability… and share our knowledge with those who aren’t.
Check out our channel, and don’t forget to subscribe!
Peace.
(music - Echoes by Dar Williams, Seven Nation Army by White Stripes)
Duration : 0:9:31
