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5 Pillars of a Sponge-Like Agriculture

Learn about the 5 pillars of sponge-like agriculture, a non-polluting and beneficial farming model that rebuilds soil, mitigates flooding, and reduces pollution. Discover how principles like perennial prairie strips, grass-based animal farming, and industrial hemp can revolutionize modern agriculture.

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5 Pillars of a Sponge-Like Agriculture

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  1. 5 Pillars of a Sponge-LikeAgriculture By Bob Watson & Larry Stone PowerPoint Developed by Dick Janson in consultation with Bob Watson

  2. 5 Pillars We have a choice

  3. 5 Pillars continue with this particular, recent, post WWII, soil losing, nutrient polluting, flood enhancing, hydrologically short circuiting, human health harming, petro/chemical/industrial, CAFO, Green Revolution, row crop model of agriculture.

  4. 5 Pillars Or

  5. 5 Pillars switch to a non-polluting biologically benign and beneficial, soil building, sponge-like agriculture.

  6. 5 Pillars What this non-polluting sponge-like agriculture might look like; The pillars of our model are:

  7. 5 Pillars Historically, Iowa was covered by deep-rooted forests, prairies, savannahs, and wetlands. Konza Prairie LTER Program

  8. 5 Pillars This flora/hydrological system created a vast sponge ranging some 15 to 30 feet in depth both below and above the surface. City of Elgin, IL

  9. 5 Pillars Roots of Big Blue Stem Hanging from barn rafter Photo: The Land Institute

  10. 5 Pillars This sponge … This Perennial Land

  11. 5 Pillars allowed rainwater to infiltrate at 7 to 14 inches per hour, while purifying and slowly releasing the stored water for plant uptake and recharging groundwater and aquifers. This Perennial Land

  12. 5 Pillars Today’s intensive, row-crop agriculture has virtually destroyed that sponge. Larry Stone

  13. 5 Pillars Modern floods, although made worse by climate change’s extreme rain events, CR Gazette

  14. 5 Pillars are mostly caused because industrial agriculture has turned the historic landscape on its head and put bare soil at the surface. USDA NRCS

  15. 5 Pillars With this unprotected soil reaching saturation after as little as one inch of rainfall, Janson

  16. 5 Pillars rainwater and soil simply sluice off the surface… USDA NRCS

  17. 5 Pillars on its way into our surface and groundwater systems. USDA NRCS USDA NRCS

  18. 5 Pillars Innovative, alternative agricultural systems – which are available now – The Land Institute

  19. 5 Pillars would allow us to re-perennialize agriculture and rebuild the topsoil “sponge,” with its flood and pollution mitigating capabilities. Middlesex Stewardship Council, Ontario, Canada

  20. 5 Pillars Soil Porosity Comparison Never-plowed prairie soil & No-till conventional crop soil

  21. 5 Pillars 1. edible perennial prairie grains for humans and animals - no chemicals, no runoff, no erosion, no yearly tillage, builds soil, provides habitat, exists today - scaled up for sale to farmers by 2020;

  22. 5 Pillars The Land Institute is breeding prairie plants to have large seed heads for human and animal consumption. The Land Institute Mike Strand, Salina Journal

  23. 5 Pillars The first of these should be ready for sale to farmers by 2020. Photo Credits: The Land Institute

  24. 5 Pillars We will be able to eat the prairie, Photos: Julie Dennis Brothers, FarmForkLife.com

  25. 5 Pillars and these crops would help rebuild Iowa’s historic sponge. Photo: Jodi Torpey, WesternGardener.com Photo: The Land Institute

  26. 5 Pillars 2. strips of perennial native prairie in all annual fields - 10% in strips stops 95% of soil erosion, builds soil, provides habitat;

  27. 5 Pillars An Iowa State University study has shown that interspersing annual crop fields with strips of native prairie, STRIPs STRIPs

  28. 5 Pillars STRIPs STRIPs STRIPs which can soak up 7 to 13 inches of rain per hour, can eliminate up to 95% of erosion. 100% Perennial Prairie Strips in Ag Crops 100% Agricultural w/No-Till

  29. 5 Pillars 3. prairie and grass-based animal farming - no chemicals, no runoff, no erosion, builds soil, provides habitat;

  30. 5 Pillars If we put animals on the land, fields now used for row crops could be converted to pasture. Utilizing intensive rotational grazing, that pastureland could store up to 7 inches of rain per hour. Middlesex Stewardship Council, Ontario, Canada

  31. 5 Pillars 4. industrial hemp - cover crop, no chemicals if used in crop rotations, used with strips, provides habitat, provides food and fiber, replaces many oil-based manufactured products, revitalizes rural America with factories and processing plants, 350-year history as a crop in North America;

  32. 5 Pillars Another important part of a rotational cropping system could be industrial hemp, which needs little or no commercial fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. J.C. Calloway @ Finola.com

  33. 5 Pillars Hemp was important for food and fiber in early America, but its cultivation now is prohibited in the United States. (We are the only developed country to ban hemp.) Samson Images.com

  34. 5 Pillars Yet hemp ranks second only to soybeans in its protein content, and it can be used to produce food, fiber, textiles, paper, essential fatty acids, and other products. These hemp products are legally bought and sold in the US. We just can't grow the hemp that they are made from. Photo Credit: Apparently Apparel.com

  35. 5 Pillars 5. small grains, hays, fruits, and vegetables - used with strips, provides habitat, builds soil.

  36. 5 Pillars As part of a rotational cropping system, crops which would feed people and animals could include small grains, hays, vegetables, and fruits. USDA NRCS Orchard Photo Credits: Seed Savers Exchange

  37. 5 Pillars The declining supply of petroleum eventually will require a change from petro/chemical-dependent industrial/row crop agriculture Larry Stone

  38. 5 Pillars to more sustainable crop rotations. The Land Institute

  39. 5 Pillars That could mean the need for 40 to 60 million smaller, sustainable farmers. The Land Institute Bob Watson

  40. 5 Pillars And that could revitalize our rural communities. Photo Credits: Larry Stone

  41. 5 Pillars A more diverse, sustainable sponge agriculture… Photo Credits: Janson

  42. 5 Pillars would go a long way toward reducing future flooding and pollution along Iowa’s waterways. USDA NRCS

  43. 5 Pillars THANK YOU! QUESTIONS? Contact Information Bob WatsonLarry Stone Bobandlinda@civandinc.net lstone@alpinecom.net (563) 379 - 4147 (563) 419 - 6742 www.civandinc.net

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