Wow! A whole new way of farming. At least that's what the author of the article wants you to believe. The truth is it's the way farming was done for tens of thousands of years. Yeah, and it's hard, back-breaking working from before sunup to after sun down. I've been there and done that so I'm not blowing smoke. Anyhow, read more @ http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-young-organic-farmers-20140608-story.html#page=1
Old fashioned farming has many advantages especially on the type of small farm that I live on. I'm not a farmer but I am a chef so I do have an interest in the methods of production and have a keen interest in history. This farm is about 100 acres and mixed arable and livestock but it's main income is from thatching straw. Most farms lost the ability to produce thatch in the 60's and 70's when they moved to more modern, higher yield, shorter wheat varieties and swapped their threshing drums and bunchers for combine harvesters. This farm carried on with the old methods because it was too small to afford the new machinery. This has proved to be a good thing for the farm because even with the rising prices of wheat (now upto £130 per ton from £90 pre-Brexit)this is still far less than the £500 that the otherwise worthless straw gets. Down sides include the fact that it takes 5 or 6 of us using 1940s equipment about 2 hrs to thresh 3/4 ton of wheat and 1.1 tons of straw. Plus sides include providing a rare commodity which enables those thatchers which remain to continue roofing medieval houses in thatch rather than re-roofing them in the cheaper but less attractive tiles. Long live old style farming I say...........
Google Gabe Brown...farming in natures image. I do believe he has it down. The problem with modern and traditional farming is land erosion. This IMHO is the first problem that should be addressed.