WORM TALK

The only non-gross worm photo on the internet

   
     Can we talk?

     About worms, I mean!  Now, I know that worms are not at the top of the dinner-party-list-of-conversations.  They probably aren't even something we ever think of, unless we're headed to the fishing hole.  And all this time, they are busy, burrowing and working our soil for us.  They're remarkable little creatures, and they can serve as effective rototillers in the farmer's field, or gardener's garden.


     Worms are nature's burrowers.  They aerate the soil all around them.  This enables amendments and nutrients to be evenly mixed up with the soil.  Their burrows make natural paths for water, and allow the water to be evenly dispersed, which consequently allows the plants' roots to grow freely and easily.  Their castings (manure) are filled with super-nutrients, which enrich the soil, almost like a fertilizer itself.

Look at that nice soil!

     You may have heard that you can tell the health of the soil by how many earthworms are in it.  It's true!  No worms = sad soil.  Many worms = healthy, abundant soil.  Worms are both the cause of and the result of healthy soil.

     In order for worms to thrive and multiply in the soil they need three things:

1) Moisture.  They don't do so well in the desert, nor do they live in a swamp.  They need the soil to be  moist, in order to eat and process the organic matter and micro-organisms.  If the soil isn't moist, they burrow deeper to get to moisture.  This then means that they don't stay in the topsoil to do their good, important work there, which is where we need them to be.

2) Cover.  Worms like to have a cover over them, like leaves, grass, the shade of plants or a cover crop.  They typically live in growing places, like the forest, farmers' fields, vineyards, orchards, gardens and the like.

3) To be left alone.  The less their soil is disturbed, the harder worms can work.  The harder they work, the more they are able to aerate the soil, and leave their castings.   Their castings are nutrient-rich, adding to the desirability of keeping worms in your operation.

     Worms leave traces of having been in a place.  You will see little holes, or little piles of castings on top of the soil. After a rain, look for them, they'll be there.

     An interesting exercise would be to take a shovel out to your field or garden, and dig up a 1' x 1' x 1' (or thereabouts) hole.  Count the large worms (night crawlers).  Count the small worms.  How many do you find?  Many?  Then you may be assured that your soil is healthy, and your crops and plants are reaping the benefit of them.  Only a few worms?  Then, you have the opportunity to introduce worms to your operation and build a worm population, whether it is many acres or a backyard garden.

     A farmer (or gardener) who wants to improve his (or her) worm population can do many things to aid in their growth.  If he wants to order worms, he can buy them by the thousands.  Worms can be ordered online from a variety of sources, or can be purchased locally from a worm grower.

     So, swing on into your local fishing shop or up the driveway of the place that has the handmade "Night Crawlers" sign out front.  Buy some worms.  Instead of hooking them on your line, take them out to your fields or garden.  Give them a little moisture, add a little cover, leave them alone, and just see what they can do for your topsoil.

No lack of worms here!

Making a Molehill out of a Mountain

     Farmers have been battling Mother Nature's attempts to destroy their livelihood since Adam and Eve were booted from the Garden of Eden.  One of MN's effective techniques to frustrate farmers is soil erosion, by water, wind and tillage of the soil by the farmers themselves. Water and wind erosion are now the two primary causes of soil degredation; combined, they are responsible for 84% of degraded acreage, making excessive erosion one of the most significant global environmental problems.

Water Erosion

     Erosion strips the valuable, nutrient-rich topsoil from the ground, leaving behind inferior sub-soil that is less productive and requires more fertilizers and additives. Wind and water erosion can strip the soil from around growing plants, hampering their growth, and making it more difficult to get a good harvest.

     Erosion also contributes to water pollution, as soil, fertilizers, and other industrial chemicals are swept into waterways. Air pollution is also another side effect of severe erosion, with dust particles blown into the air clogging up the atmosphere.

     Tillage is the practice of preparing the soil for planting by turning up the soil, breaking up dirt clods, and shaping the field into irrigation beds or smoothing it out for planting, loosening and aerating the soil, mixing in organic material evenly throughout the soil, and destroys weeds.

Rice terraces in the Phillipines

     While farmers around the world cannot do anything to control the wind or rain, there have been many techniques developed over the millennia to combat this problem, with new techniques being developed even today! Terracing, as seen in many Asian and Latin American countries, is a very effective way to reduce erosion. Planting rows of trees along the perimeter of fields to provide wind breaks is also a good way to help reduce erosion. In industrialized farming countries, new farming methods such as no-till farming, strip tilling, and direct seeding are becoming more popular, and are very effective in reducing all types of erosion. 

Corn growing right into last years crop residue

     Minimum tillage is a soil conservation system with the goal of minimum soil manipulation necessary for successful crop production.  Planting is done directly after harrowing, without further preparation of the soil being done.  The top layer of the topsoil is lightly disked, just to break up the old crop residue.  It is either then harrowed and a fall crop planted.  Or, it is left to lie over winter with the rough disking done, and then in the spring, is harrowed, and seeded.  This is a widely used, and very effective method of reducing soil erosion.

     No-till farming is a relatively new technique in which the soil is left undisturbed, and the residue from the previous year's crop is left on the field to provide a protective ground cover for this year's plants. No-till farming increases the amount of water in the soil by helping to prevent evaporation, and decreases wind and water erosion since the ground has a cover of plant residue to hold the soil in place.

Direct-seeding a field

     Direct seeding is the planting method used with no-till farming. Direct seeding is a special technique in which the seed and fertilizer are planted at the same time in the residue from the previous year's crop. The crop residue and root structure keep the water and the soil in the field, reducing soil erosion by 90%, helps prevent the movement of fertilizers and chemicals, and improves water and air quality by reducing runoff and dust. Other benefits include sequestration of carbon in the soil, improved soil health, and reduction of fuel and machinery usage.

Strip-tilling a cornfield

     Strip tillage is a soil conservation method in which only the strip of soil that will contain the seed is tilled. Most of the plant residue from the previous year's crop is left to provide protection to the new plants, and to help reduce erosion and increase soil quality as it decomposes. Strip tilling also allows the farmer to more accurately apply fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals.

     As the world's population expands and the demand for food increases, it is becoming more and more important to preserve and maintain the soil at the highest level possible in order to meet these demands. Like fresh water, oil, and gold, soil is not an infinite resource, especially high-quality, productive soil. It must be carefully cultivated and preserved, and used efficiently. Farmers around the world have combated the erosion of soil since the beginning of time, and are continuing this battle yearly, although they now have a wide range of information and technology to assist them.

For more information on erosion, visit these sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erosion
http://directseed.org/about/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-till_farming
http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip-till
http://www.striptillfarmer.com/

Soil Erosion - a problem for farmers since the Garden of Eden!

Check out this video to learn how big of a problem soil erosion is for farmers, and how they're using direct seed technology to combat this problem!