Having moved to a small acreage last year, I have started to let my mind wander about the types of ways that I can use my land to improve 1. my fanancial security 2. My food security(i.e. large garden, small orchard, chickens, etc.) 3. what can I do to help the local evironment and maybee bring in some additional wildlife in the process.
1. We have started boarding horses with some moderate success! We are learning quickly about equine care and how to manage our pastures, water etc., and making a little bank in the process, while supporting our new hoby!
2. We are expanding our garden size and expanding our few fruit trees into a small orchard (planted pear trees this year), and we bit the bullet, converted an old shed into a chicken coop/run, and have 18 chickens. (hope to expand next year to add ducks!) In addition I would like to try and extend our growing season by buildidng a simple greenhouse.
Now that these areas have been addressed, my mind started wandering into ways that I can use the remaining parts of my acreage to make life more enjoyable.
1. I want to add a small natural swiming pool/pond right behind the house
2. Plant more large/fast growing trees.
3. some landscaping and beautication projects to spruice the place up.
4. plant some natural native prarie to bring more wildlife in!
Thinking about these, I thought perhaps growing some polinator strips, might be a great way to help the environment, support the local polinator health, and bring in a larger variety of wildlife. So then I started down a rabit hole, and started learmning about polinator/prarie strips, and its usefull aplications in larger agricultural opperations.
After doing some research, it seems like the benifits are plenty!
1. Better pollination leads to higher yeilds(allocating aprox. 10% of land can lead to a 20%-30% increase in yeild-depending on plant species).
2. improve local soil quality.
3. Reduce soil errosion.
4. Increase biodiversity.
5. Acts a buffer between chemical applications and our waterways, therby inproving water quality.
6. Attracts benifitial insects and preditors that can reduce agricultural pests.
7. Could increase Agtourism revenue.
It seems as though there are also a number of programs that farmers can participate in to help offset any financial losses that occur durring the first few years of establishing these polinator strips.
So my question to the farmers on this site, is why aren't more farmers participating in planting polinator strips?
What are the more pratical concerns/roadblocks that prevent farmers from planting polinator strips?
What would make it more appealing?
*discalamer- I ask this question in good faith! I am not trying to start debate or argue. I am genuinely interested in the farmer's point of view here.
1. We have started boarding horses with some moderate success! We are learning quickly about equine care and how to manage our pastures, water etc., and making a little bank in the process, while supporting our new hoby!
2. We are expanding our garden size and expanding our few fruit trees into a small orchard (planted pear trees this year), and we bit the bullet, converted an old shed into a chicken coop/run, and have 18 chickens. (hope to expand next year to add ducks!) In addition I would like to try and extend our growing season by buildidng a simple greenhouse.
Now that these areas have been addressed, my mind started wandering into ways that I can use the remaining parts of my acreage to make life more enjoyable.
1. I want to add a small natural swiming pool/pond right behind the house
2. Plant more large/fast growing trees.
3. some landscaping and beautication projects to spruice the place up.
4. plant some natural native prarie to bring more wildlife in!
Thinking about these, I thought perhaps growing some polinator strips, might be a great way to help the environment, support the local polinator health, and bring in a larger variety of wildlife. So then I started down a rabit hole, and started learmning about polinator/prarie strips, and its usefull aplications in larger agricultural opperations.
After doing some research, it seems like the benifits are plenty!
1. Better pollination leads to higher yeilds(allocating aprox. 10% of land can lead to a 20%-30% increase in yeild-depending on plant species).
2. improve local soil quality.
3. Reduce soil errosion.
4. Increase biodiversity.
5. Acts a buffer between chemical applications and our waterways, therby inproving water quality.
6. Attracts benifitial insects and preditors that can reduce agricultural pests.
7. Could increase Agtourism revenue.
It seems as though there are also a number of programs that farmers can participate in to help offset any financial losses that occur durring the first few years of establishing these polinator strips.
So my question to the farmers on this site, is why aren't more farmers participating in planting polinator strips?
What are the more pratical concerns/roadblocks that prevent farmers from planting polinator strips?
What would make it more appealing?
*discalamer- I ask this question in good faith! I am not trying to start debate or argue. I am genuinely interested in the farmer's point of view here.
Google Search
www.google.com
Last edited:
