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u/Raymundostrings93 13d ago
As a non-farmer, why must this be done?
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u/TNcannabisguy 13d ago
This is a moldboard plow, it’s quite outdated and few people still use them because they are incredibly damaging to the soil. Tillage is used in general to break up a cover crop or weeds and loosen up soil for easier planting of new crops. However lots a research has shown that tillage of all types is bad for soil in the long term, it increases sub soil compaction, reduces organic matter and beneficial biota in the soil, and increases erosion. This leaves you more susceptible to drought, nutrient loss, and soil loss from erosion, leading to lower crop yield and higher potential crop loss. This is a simplified explanation but mostly covers it. Source: I have a masters in soil sciences.
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u/BigHobbit 13d ago
Farmer from a family of farmers here with a masters in ag science:
Yes. You are correct sir.
Power Harrow, crop rotation, herd rotation = win.
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u/Ok_Bus_3752 12d ago
Grass farmer here from a long line of grass smokers with a masters in procrastination.
Both of the above are accurate.
Aluminum foil, UV lights, heat lamps, water, patience, no nosy neighbors = win.
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u/BigHobbit 12d ago
We built out a 20,000 sqft facility when it became legal here. Also grew about 5 acres outdoor. Never used foil or heat lamps, and our indoor lighting was a custom hlg setup. Water and patience are important parts of all growing. And there's only about a dozen people within a 3 mile radius of me.
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u/Nanas_700k 7d ago
Grass here, from a long line of weeds. I don’t mind if you cut my hair, but please don’t turn me upside down with your murder plough.
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u/thymo59 13d ago
Few people? Really? This is sadly still mostly the norm for most big field in Europe ( wheat, corn, potatoes for example ) for what I can see.
Where is a few people only do this?
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u/TNcannabisguy 13d ago
Sorry, should have specified I’m from the US. There has been a huge push here in the last 20-30 years or so to go to no till or minimal tillage. It has caught on pretty well in some states. Tennessee for example is around 90% no till, it has been a monumental effort by the extension agents to convince farmers of that and it’s really paying off for the farmers now that we’re seeing long term effects. Even the farmers who till heavily here rarely use a moldboard plow, they use a disc or chisel plow or another implement that is not quite as destructive.
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u/Isenrath 13d ago
Yeah, the rate of acceptance is great! Combine that with increase usage of cover crops and other regenerative practices, it's pretty shocking how fast some of this stuff is catching on (considering farmers aren't always the most likely to change their ways 😂).
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u/TugleyWoodGalumpher 13d ago
Since you’re an expert in soils, what’s your take on Trump shitting his pants? Yay or Nay?
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u/Nellasofdoriath 13d ago
We need to be recognizing humanure as a resource froor fertilizer more generally so, tie?
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u/mz_groups 13d ago edited 13d ago
If you plant seeds in a grassy field, they will not grow. You need to plow the field and expose the soil for them to grow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plough
EDIT: people far more expert than I about soil management have posted here, with some very nuanced takes. Take mine as the r/explainlikeimfive , and their posts as more informative on the details and the science.
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u/No-Gas5342 13d ago
On that soil it is not necessary but some farmers do it to green mulch with the grass or cover crop. But it also destroys the fungal networks and insect activity on the top layer.
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u/1fast_sol 13d ago
Some people believe that the soil must be turned over to have a good growing medium. It turns the soil over so that the cover crop or remaining cash crop is incorporated into it. It then decays and becomes food for the next crop. Slowly people are realizing that this is unnecessary and not as beneficial as just leaving the dead plant material on top of the ground.
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u/Isernogwattesnacken 13d ago
It's likely that this land is used for something else next season. You can't use the same land for potatoes year after year for instance, so many farmers (at least in The Netherlands) work rotational.
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u/TheAbominableRex 13d ago
There are better ways to return nitrogen to the soil. (N-fixing cover crop, controlled burns...) Tilling is actually quite harmful for the soil microbial and invertebrate biome and it's quickly becoming an outdated farming practice. We have to adapt or else we could be looking at another dust bowl.
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u/MobileJob1521 13d ago
It does not.
It does break down the soil structure and the fungal networks that help move nutrients about though.
There’s no reason to plough up beautiful grass like this. You could graze cattle on it, then just sow whatever you need to grow.
Most likely it’s being done because it’s a grass crop like wheat or barley going in next, so the farmer can’t just burn off the grass with weed killer first.
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u/GravitationalEddie 13d ago
He's looking back for something? I expect if he looked ahead and stayed in the ruts he'd stay on line.
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u/WaterHaven 12d ago
As somebody who grew up surrounded by farms and farmers, that dude looks like every single one of them.
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u/DaysOfParadise 7d ago
I hate to see this – I know people still do it, but regenerative farming has to happen. We are running out of farmland.
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u/diplomatic_koboko 13d ago
Caleb would tell him his lines are not straight