By Christopher Harper
Living in flyover country can expose you to issues that go unnoticed in the big city.
Just up the road near my home in central Pennsylvania is a prime example of what’s become known as “regenerative farming.”
Owner Josh Leidecker says the farm practices regenerative farming, or, more simply put, growing as nature intended. This method refers to growing practices that restore soil health and increase biodiversity through crop rotation and other means.
“It just takes a little while to get there,” Leidecker said of the vision for regenerative agriculture at Today Farm. “You know, we’ve got a big plan for this.”
Leidecker brings agriculture experience from his other business venture, Susquehanna Mills, an area manufacturer of organic cooking oils. The farm plans to grow oilseed crops and potatoes, some small stands of vegetables, and at least one of the fields will be grazing grounds for animals—a regenerative agriculture method.
What was once known as “organic farming” has become a national trend. Some regenerative farm techniques may include planting interceding crops to benefit the soil and feed livestock and using so-called”chicken tractors” as a form of crop tilling. The chickens move about the ground in a controlled manner and fertilize the ground with their feces, providing nutrients for crop rotation.
Here is a documentary about the farming methods: Roots So Deep (You Can See The Devil Down There) https://rootssodeep.org from Carbon Natio.
Teddy Gentry, the bass player of the band Alabama, is a leading proponent of regenerative farming. He speaks about transforming his fields by listening to quail sing. See https://www.instagram.com/p/C8Upm_muwjI/
Since 1989, Gentry has been a pioneer in the cattle industry, creating the South Poll breed to combine the best traits of four breeds, resulting in heat-tolerant and efficient cattle.
The Farming Systems Trial from the Pennsylvania-based Rodale Institute argues that organic agriculture performs as well as, if not better than, conventional agriculture. The study demonstrated how nutrient-dense organic food helped to prevent and reverse diseases.
The institute tries to create economic vitality in rural communities by training tomorrow’s organic farmers.
Jon Lundgren, a former entomologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, left the government when he realized the pesticides meant to control pest bugs were wiping out scores of beneficial insects critical for the local ecosystem. See: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7RRciMNAN-/
Hat tip to Elizabeth Harper
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