Eco-friendly farming methods have seen a boom in popularity
over the years for both small and large farms, with smaller farms preferring
these methods over more conventional ones.
These methods include no-till and biodynamic farming, with biodynamic meaning being very similar to
natural farming but including esoteric and spiritual aspects. It is a highly
eco-friendly way of farming, but for small farms, there are other unique
benefits, as outlined below.
Natural disease and pest control
One of the major benefits of biodynamic farming is that you
will eliminate the need to use chemicals for disease and pest control. You will
be able to eliminate both weeds and harmful insects naturally, by planting
plants that are natural enemies of insect pests. This is known as biological
control agents
Using
crop rotation is another popular method against crop disease, as it
prevents the pests from becoming used to the type of plant that is being
cultivated, as well as promotes balanced, healthy soil to protect against
pests. By using natural disease and pest control, you will also decrease the
amount of chemicals there are in the run-off of your crop fields, reducing the
chance of contamination of the soil for your future crops.
It builds healthy soil
One of the most important aspects of farming, whether you
are on a small farm or a large commercial farm, is the health of the soil. With
conventional farming methods, chemicals are used to fertilise the soil but with
biodynamic agriculture, mulch and compost are used instead.
This leads to healthier soil, which also leads to a
healthier farm and crops. Natural
cultivation practices are essential to creating healthy soil, and these
methods include no-till farming. Earthworms are used to provide oxygen to your
soil and compost and mulch is used as fertilisers. This will encourage the
growth of good, healthy bacteria in the soil, which is vital for creating soil
that can thrive on its own and crops that are healthier to eat.
The input costs are lower
As a small farm owner, you know how expensive it can be to
have to run equipment on a daily basis for tilling, ploughing and spraying
chemicals. However, with biodynamic farming, you do not have to spray chemicals
or use machinery to till your land.
This helps you save a huge amount of your input costs,
which you can put towards other more important ventures on your farm, such as
farming livestock or introducing new crops to your rotation. Biodynamic
agriculture allows you to eliminate the expensive costs of fertiliser and
equipment, which is especially useful for small farm owners with a tight budget
who cannot afford to maintain expensive equipment.
Your crops become more drought resistant
One major benefit of using organic and biodynamic farming
methods is that the goal is to plant crops that are suited to your climate.
This means that your crops will become more drought resistant, which is ideal
for more arid areas and can also reduce crop damage from unsuitable weather.
Drought resistant crops are popular among biodynamic farmers
because it allows
the farmers to use drip irrigation methods as well as timed irrigation
methods. Having crops that do not need to be watered as much will not only save
water but will also allow you to save on irrigation equipment costs. Planting
crops that are suited to your climate is one of the major tenets of biodynamic
farming, making it highly desirable in drier climates, such as the Karoo and
other Northern Cape areas.
It combats soil erosion
Soil erosion is an issue that many farms face, especially
smaller farms that might have less space for surface-water runoff and for root
growth. By using biodynamic methods like no-till farming, you are actively
preventing soil erosion from happening.
Organic farming creates healthy topsoil. This prevents
runoff from the crops causing erosion and it helps to maintain soil moisture
and alleviate compacted soil, which is one of the contributing factors of soil
erosion. Soil erosion is a serious blight for many farms, which is why you
should look into adopting biodynamic agriculture or at least organic farming
practices which can help to improve your soil health and reduce erosion.
It supports animal welfare
As a small farm owner, you most likely have an abundance of
animal and insect life on your farm. This can include anything from the fish in
the ponds on your land to the livestock you farm. Biodynamic methods encourage
and support animal welfare by causing less harm to the environment.
Organic
farming methods encourage you to use natural pest and disease repelling methods,
such as inviting in insects that are predators to pests or using ducks to eat
snails off of wine grapes. Animals that live on organic farms are exposed to
clean, chemical-free grazing that helps them naturally healthy and resistant to
illnesses associated with conventional farming methods. Supporting animal
welfare is beneficial to both the environment and to your farm’s health.
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