Steel in the Field: A Farmer's Guide to Weed-Management Tools (Sustainable Agriculture Network Handbook Series, 2)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.71 (993 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 188862602X |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 128 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-04-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
--Joe Johnson- Agronomist, Mississippi State University . "Steel in the Field addresses the main concerns farmers have about mechanical weed control: cost, effectiveness, dependability and soil impact." -- Joe Johnson, Agronomist, Mississippi State University"The field equipment sections are the most descriptive I have ever seen." -- Joe Johnson- Agronomist, Mississippi State UniversitySteel in the Field addresses the main concerns farmers have about mechanical weed control: cost, effectiveness, dependability and soil impact
Real-life, onfarm agricultural experts explain weed control. This book addresses the four main concerns that farmers have about mechanical weed control: cost, effectiveness, dependability and soil impact. The field equipment sections are the most descriptive that I have ever seen.. "A must-have book for organic farmers & farmer-wannabes!" according to Oregon Farm Mama. Today my husband and I are full-time organic vegetable growers, but once upon a time we were townies who didn't know the difference between a tiller and a disc. We found work on a farm and learned a ton firsthand, but this book was also a great way for us to learn more about cultivation equipment (without looking stupid, as another reviewer suggested!). The book is full of detailed descriptions, real life applications, and very helpful illustrations. It's a resource that we refer to frequently as we adapt our own cultivation system over time.Also, this book gave us the knowledge w. "Great Resource" according to K. Jensen. I've been using this book for several years now. And each year I buy copies for our farm interns and staff. I think the book does a great job of showing various pieces of equipment with the how and why it works. The vignettes of farmers who use those tools is very helpful in offering a three dimensional real life picture of how the tool may or may not work on our farm. Great book, one we refer to often for ideas and to make sure we all have the same "picture" in our heads of what a tool can and might do.
This is the first tool-centered book to combine farmer experience, commercial agricultural engineering expertise and university research. Their advice ranges from the specific -- setting mini-disks 0.75 inches deep and 2 inches away from 2-inch tall plants -- to the general, such as one farmer's estimate of the correct speed for using his coil-tine weeder: "As fast as you can hang on is fine." This book is a must for anyone looking to reduce or replace pesticide inputs. It directly tackles the hard questions of how to comply with erosion-prevention plans, how to remain profitable and how to manage residue and moisture loss. Index, contact list, detailed illustrations and tool source list included.. Farmers -- 22 of them -- do a lot of the talking, sharing their struggles and successes with tools,