5 ms·

So there are people around me who also are interested in buying some acres to living the dream. But as the post listed, there are a lot overheads and surround i

by a012 6y ago

So there are people around me who also are interested in buying some acres to living the dream. But as the post listed, there are a lot overheads and surround issues/problems. Like do you want to grow things "organically" or have to buy *icides to battle enermy of bugs or diceases? At scale, it's too hard to manage the use of chemicals to keep your farm bountiful year round.

driverdan 6y ago
"Organic" farming still uses pesticides and herbicides, much worse outdated ones.
- dejv 6y ago
  Organic farmer here: I haven't seen country that allow herbicides for use in organic farming. Speaking of different pesticides you are basically left with nonsystematic fungicides (a lot of them as sulfur or copper based) and biological control against living pest.
- dehrmann 6y ago
  Good ol' nicotine.
- ozborn 6y ago
  Reference for this claim? My understanding is that oeganic farming uses less inputs overall (including pesticides and herbicides ) and some organic farmers use no pesticides or herbicides at all depending on the crop.
  - bluGill 6y ago
    Every farm is different. What you call the chemicals is also different, but everything (including water) is a chemical in the end. Organic just chooses to limit modern chemicals that often are much safer. Organic is a one way conversation: conventional farmers do use organic chemicals when they are the best for the job. If they use less herbicides it is because they are not counting diesel fuel to run their tractor as herbicide. Sure they don't apply roundup, but they spend a lot more money and emit a lot more CO2 pulling steel through the ground to destroy weeds because they are not allowed to use a good herbicide. Also beware of less inputs in other ways: you can mine the land for nutrients by not putting fertilizer on it as well. Fertilizer isn't only about more crops, it is also about the fact that everything you take off the land includes a certain amount of various nutrients that are forever taken off too. This isn't a problem for pure subsistence farming (subsistence farmers carefully save their poop), but as soon as anything leaves the farm you need to replace what is lost.

by a012 6y ago

driverdan 6y ago

"Organic" farming still uses pesticides and herbicides, much worse outdated ones.

dejv 6y ago
Organic farmer here: I haven't seen country that allow herbicides for use in organic farming. Speaking of different pesticides you are basically left with nonsystematic fungicides (a lot of them as sulfur or copper based) and biological control against living pest.
dehrmann 6y ago
Good ol' nicotine.
ozborn 6y ago
Reference for this claim? My understanding is that oeganic farming uses less inputs overall (including pesticides and herbicides ) and some organic farmers use no pesticides or herbicides at all depending on the crop.
- bluGill 6y ago
  Every farm is different. What you call the chemicals is also different, but everything (including water) is a chemical in the end. Organic just chooses to limit modern chemicals that often are much safer. Organic is a one way conversation: conventional farmers do use organic chemicals when they are the best for the job. If they use less herbicides it is because they are not counting diesel fuel to run their tractor as herbicide. Sure they don't apply roundup, but they spend a lot more money and emit a lot more CO2 pulling steel through the ground to destroy weeds because they are not allowed to use a good herbicide. Also beware of less inputs in other ways: you can mine the land for nutrients by not putting fertilizer on it as well. Fertilizer isn't only about more crops, it is also about the fact that everything you take off the land includes a certain amount of various nutrients that are forever taken off too. This isn't a problem for pure subsistence farming (subsistence farmers carefully save their poop), but as soon as anything leaves the farm you need to replace what is lost.