Archive for the ‘Soil’ Category
Monday, August 30th, 2010
In this episode I play an interview from 1979 with keyline pioneer P.A. Yeomans. This interview was conducted by Bruce Hedge, Geoff Booth, and Phill Gall of 3CR Melbourne Radio. P.A. Yeomans died in 1984, several years after this interview was conducted. Special thanks to Darren Doherty for providing the audio for this interview.
Topics of discussion include the invention and utility of the key-line plow, strategies for building top soil, water at the center of land planning, intercropping of cereals and legumes, the fundamentals of keyline design, and forest ecosystems as processing plants for wastewater. Part one in a two part series.
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 30:26 — 28.0MB)
Tags: keyline, Permaculture, Soil, water
Posted in English, Permaculture, Soil | No Comments »
Monday, March 29th, 2010
In Part II of my interview with Bentley Christie of redwormcomposting.com, we discuss worm feeding requirements, innovation and experimentation in vermicomposting, and the benefits of worm castings.
I also conclude with some comments about observations from working in the garden this spring, and talk a bit about next week’s show.
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:40 — 31.0MB)
Tags: composting, red worms, vermicomposting, vermiculture
Posted in English, Insects, Soil | 1 Comment »
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
Today we joined by Bentley Christie of the website redwormcomposting.com. Bentley is a red worm composting hobbyist who has experimented with various different worm bins and configurations for red worm composting. The site redwormcomposting.com is designed to share information and experiences about red worm composting with others, and has a very active user community.
In this interview Bentley and I discuss the life cycle, morphology, and biological origins of the red worm. We then go on to talk about developing a simple red worm composting system, and touch upon some of the requirements of red worms. Part I of II.
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:34 — 30.9MB)
Tags: composting, red worms, Soil, symbiosis
Posted in English, Insects, Soil | No Comments »
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
In this episode of the podcast I am joined by Neal Rauhauser, a blogger and researcher whose work can be found on the website strandedwind.org. Neal is also the author of the National Renewable Ammonia Architecture, a 6,500 word background paper that covers the history of human fertilizer production.
In this interview Neal and I discuss the concept of stranded wind, the past, current, and future status of ammonia as a fertilizer, and the potential to produce ammonia renewably using hydroelectric. Neal brings us up to speed on a proposal to reinvigorate local economies where hydroelectric facilities already exist through ammonia/grain/ethanol/greenhouse horticulture production.
Useful links below:
Strandedwind
The National Renewable Ammonia Architecture
The Ammonia Fuel Network
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Podcast: Download (33.5MB)
Tags: ammonia, ethanol, fertilizer, fuel, hydroelectric, nitrogen, Soil, wind
Posted in Economics, English, Soil | 2 Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
In the second part of my interview with Jerry from blacksoldierflyblog.com, we discuss use of BSF for decomposing manures, including human manure, the quality and volume of compost produced, fly larva as the primary product of BSF composting, biological racism against the Black Soldier Fly, and BSF with California Red Worms.
I also read some listener email and comments. Useful links below:
Black Soldier Fly Blog
BioPod and Black Soldier Fly Community Forum
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Podcast: Download (31.0MB)
Tags: black soldier fly, composting, insects, worms
Posted in English, Insects, Soil | 5 Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Mark Feedman is the founder of CREAR, the Regional Center for the Study of Rural Alternatives, a small agricultural school located in the northern mountains of the Dominican Republic, near the Haitian border. Feedman has been an tireless advocate of sustainable agriculture for 40 years, and in this interview he recounts his struggle to create an educational center in the remote forests of Hispaniola. Topics include rural education, the future of Haiti, and the subject of hope.
CREAR (via Agroinnovations)
CREAR Slide Show (via Agroinnovations)
FAO Soils Bulletin 60
Live Learning Visits CREAR
Dominican Community Gardens: CREAR
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Podcast: Download (40.1MB)
Tags: CREAR, dominican republic, education, haiti, soil conservation, watershed management
Posted in Education, English, Soil | 13 Comments »
Monday, July 27th, 2009
Being in a foreign land for a short time is an excellent way to get a rapid fire snapshot of the country and its inhabitants. In this episode I am joined by Mike Mulvaney, who in May of 2009 paid a one month visit to China on a study of plant genetics. Mulvaney’s observations and musings about Chinese agriculture offer a momentary glimpse into the Far Eastern agricultural society in the early 21st century.
Modified Relay Intercropping
Red House Art Radio
Global Swadeshi Thread for this episode
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 36:14 — 33.3MB)
Tags: Asia, china, chinese agriculture, mulvaney, Soil
Posted in English, Food, Soil | No Comments »
Monday, June 29th, 2009
In this interview, Peter Donovan and I talk about the difference between divergent and convergent solutions, the utility of policy to mitigate climate change, and the concept of a soil carbon sequestration competition as a means of shifting our strategy.
Visit Peter’s website at managingwholes.com, or visit the Soil Carbon Coalition.
Continue the discussion at Global Swadeshi forum.
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:44 — 31.0MB)
Tags: climate change, gcwg, global warming, Holistic Management, soil carbon
Posted in English, Holistic Management, Soil | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
Dale Enerson is the Director of the National Carbon Credit program for the National Farmers Union. In this interview, Dale and I talk about agricultural carbon offsets, what they are and how they work, the dynamics of the carbon market, and the potential of agricultural offsets to mitigate the effects of global climate change.
Visit the NDFU Carbon Credit website to access the resources Dale mentioned in the podcast.
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 35:19 — 32.5MB)
Tags: climate change, global warming, soil carbon
Posted in English, Soil | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008
The podcast is back, and in this episode we speak with Mike Mulvaney of Auburn University about no till agriculture and conservation tillage. Also, I reframe the focus of the podcast and give people a taste of what’s to come. Listen, enjoy, and send us your feedback.
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 34:02 — 31.2MB)
Tags: management, no-till, organic, Soil
Posted in English, Soil | No Comments »
