(The One-Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka (1913-2008) is a manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge presenting a radical challenge to the global systems relied on by FOOD, INC.)
The Garden of Eapen aims (meaning we are a work in progress and not there yet) to be a permaculture farm seeking to promote a sustainable living thru natural farming philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than premature and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system.
We raise Longhorn Cattle fashioned entirely by nature right here in North America from the first cattle to set foot on American soil almost 500 years ago and became the sound end product of "survival of the fittest". Shaped by a combination of natural selection and adaptation to the environment, the Longhorn is the only cattle breed in America which - without aid from man - is truly adapted to America.
Our egg layer poultry includes the Dominique Chicken recognized as America’s first chicken breed with humble beginnings on the dung heaps of the Colonists surviving to become the very symbol of durability, productivity and self-reliance. Though industrialized chicken factories have replaced this slow growing breed with Synthetic breeds, they have found a place for farm stewardship at The Garden of Eapen.
From the BioPods that provide an unlimited supply of quickly and naturally renewable, inexpensive, high protein grubs for our chickens or the Alabama Jumper Night Crawlers that aerates our soil while providing the giant fishing lures for sale, or the Bee Hives that pollinate our plants and produce Honey, to the Duck Weed that provides protein for our fish, all harmoniously striving to maintain a natural way of life without vaccinations, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, de-beaking, food supplements or other means of interfering with the nature.
In the near future we hope to be off the grid with a combination of micro-hydro (thanks to multiple small springs on our farm), Wind and Solar energy generation and aims to be a zero input farming operation with:
No Cultivation
No Fertilizers
No Tilling
No Dependency on Chemicals.
Earth cultivates itself naturally by means of the penetration of plant roots and the activities of microorganisms, ants, earth worms, reptiles and small birds. Tilling causes soil erosion, destruction of soil microbes and biomass that retains moisture. When natural area is bought under the plow, strong weeds such as crabgrass at times dominate the vegetation. When these weeds take hold, the farmer is faced with nearly impossible task of weeding each year.
No Fertilizers
Organic remains are decomposed on the earth surface by bacteria and fungi with the available moisture. The nutrients are taken deep into the soil to become food for the microorganisms like earth worms and small insects or animals.
Plant roots reach the lower soil straits and draw the nutrients back to the surface. The fertility of nature is, beyond the comprehension of average human. The dead leaf that covers the soil must be left undisturbed. All those not only turn into natural humus but also retain moisture from evaporation.
No weeding
Planting radish, pepper and/or garlic between the berry plants to curb the weeds act as natural weedicides.
Some weeds can be brought under control by natural balance and diversity of plants. Gentle measures such as spreading dry straw and sowing clover are practiced instead of using manmade chemicals and machinery to wage war of annihilations.
Sowing seeds while the preceding crop is still ripening in the field also controls weeds. Timing the seeding to avoid any interval between succeeding crops gives the farmer a great advantage over the weeds.
No Pesticides or Chemicals
Pesticides are quite effective in the short run but cause great harm to the plants, soil, animals and humans when used consistently.
Mono culture of one or two crops a year lead to pests menace, as the food supply is restricted, so the natural way of controlling pests is to grow multiple crops. In a perfect ecosystem predator –prey population is well balanced and loss by pests is negligible.
Zero farming is the only answer. Even if a fraction of ordinary farmers adopted Zero Farming, it could have shattering effect on FOOD INC., and the entire urban-industrial structure.
The Garden of Eapen aims (meaning we are a work in progress and not there yet) to be a permaculture farm seeking to promote a sustainable living thru natural farming philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than premature and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system.
We raise Longhorn Cattle fashioned entirely by nature right here in North America from the first cattle to set foot on American soil almost 500 years ago and became the sound end product of "survival of the fittest". Shaped by a combination of natural selection and adaptation to the environment, the Longhorn is the only cattle breed in America which - without aid from man - is truly adapted to America.
Our egg layer poultry includes the Dominique Chicken recognized as America’s first chicken breed with humble beginnings on the dung heaps of the Colonists surviving to become the very symbol of durability, productivity and self-reliance. Though industrialized chicken factories have replaced this slow growing breed with Synthetic breeds, they have found a place for farm stewardship at The Garden of Eapen.
From the BioPods that provide an unlimited supply of quickly and naturally renewable, inexpensive, high protein grubs for our chickens or the Alabama Jumper Night Crawlers that aerates our soil while providing the giant fishing lures for sale, or the Bee Hives that pollinate our plants and produce Honey, to the Duck Weed that provides protein for our fish, all harmoniously striving to maintain a natural way of life without vaccinations, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, de-beaking, food supplements or other means of interfering with the nature.
In the near future we hope to be off the grid with a combination of micro-hydro (thanks to multiple small springs on our farm), Wind and Solar energy generation and aims to be a zero input farming operation with:
No Cultivation
No Fertilizers
No Tilling
No Dependency on Chemicals.
Earth cultivates itself naturally by means of the penetration of plant roots and the activities of microorganisms, ants, earth worms, reptiles and small birds. Tilling causes soil erosion, destruction of soil microbes and biomass that retains moisture. When natural area is bought under the plow, strong weeds such as crabgrass at times dominate the vegetation. When these weeds take hold, the farmer is faced with nearly impossible task of weeding each year.
No Fertilizers
Organic remains are decomposed on the earth surface by bacteria and fungi with the available moisture. The nutrients are taken deep into the soil to become food for the microorganisms like earth worms and small insects or animals.
Plant roots reach the lower soil straits and draw the nutrients back to the surface. The fertility of nature is, beyond the comprehension of average human. The dead leaf that covers the soil must be left undisturbed. All those not only turn into natural humus but also retain moisture from evaporation.
No weeding
Planting radish, pepper and/or garlic between the berry plants to curb the weeds act as natural weedicides.
Some weeds can be brought under control by natural balance and diversity of plants. Gentle measures such as spreading dry straw and sowing clover are practiced instead of using manmade chemicals and machinery to wage war of annihilations.
Sowing seeds while the preceding crop is still ripening in the field also controls weeds. Timing the seeding to avoid any interval between succeeding crops gives the farmer a great advantage over the weeds.
No Pesticides or Chemicals
Pesticides are quite effective in the short run but cause great harm to the plants, soil, animals and humans when used consistently.
Mono culture of one or two crops a year lead to pests menace, as the food supply is restricted, so the natural way of controlling pests is to grow multiple crops. In a perfect ecosystem predator –prey population is well balanced and loss by pests is negligible.
Zero farming is the only answer. Even if a fraction of ordinary farmers adopted Zero Farming, it could have shattering effect on FOOD INC., and the entire urban-industrial structure.