Photo: Glen Carrie | Unsplash
Since 2005, Lowell King has cared for the land on his 300-acre farm in Grand Valley, but after attending a soil health conference, everything he did changed. A North Dakota farmer introduced the practice of "regenerative agriculture" where farmers can make the most out of imminently dwindling water supplies. Regenerative agriculture reduces water consumption and improves crop yield. The trick? Allow root systems, earthworms, and fungi to take hold by minimizing soil disturbance. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, every 1% increase in organic matter increases soil water retention by 27,000 gallons per acre. While the methodology runs counter to conventional methods of tilling soil, King can attest to the efficacy of the new way farming. What I can tell you is that every year I do this, the amount of water I meter is decreasing and we're growing more crops we can actually increase production, he said.
|
|
More:
