The Brave New World of Adam Macy

No-till cereal growing

Some of the new farming methods adopted by Adam these days are making Brian feel a touch nervous. First it was herbal leys and “mob grazing” with cattle, both designed to raise the long-term fertility of the soil. Now Adam’s getting very interested in a technique called “no-till” cereal growing.

The traditional way to prepare the land for a new crop was first to plough it, then to break up the furrows with some sort of cultivation equipment such as heavy discs or power harrows. The idea was to create a fine, crumbly seedbed or tilth for the seeds to go into. Gardeners do much the same when they dig over a plot, then rake it to break down the clods.

Healthy soil

The problem on the farm is that ploughing and cultivating take a lot of heavy machinery and burn a lot of diesel fuel. It’s not particularly good for the long-term health of the soil either. The vital living part of the soil in the top few centimetres is home to an incredible number of organisms, from microbes to earthworms. This subterranean ecosystem must be kept healthy if the land is to grow good crops.

Science is showing that turning the land over with a plough, or knocking six bells out of it with a cultivator, isn’t particularly good for this living layer. For some years farmers have been experimenting with a system known as minimum tillage or “min-till”. It means dispensing with the plough and merely scratching the soil with a light cultivator. Some farmers have now gone further and are using a special seed drill to plant the seeds directly into the ground just as it is after the previous crop has been harvested. The new drills are able to cope with the bits of straw and other “trash” lying on the surface.

More productive

The no-till method is believed to improve the health of the soil by raising its level of “organic matter”, made up of living organisms as well as decaying vegetation and plant and animal wastes. Soils with high levels of organic matter are more productive and can retain more moisture. This means they keep crops growing during droughts and can protect local communities from flooding. For farmers there are benefits too. Their costs are reduced because they spend a lot less on machinery and diesel fuel. So as well as making farming more profitable, no-till should be good for the environment.

A seasoned old farmer like Brian can see the sense of it, no doubt. But he sometimes wonders if Adam isn’t making rather too many changes all at once.