Return To Now | By: Sara Burrows | GPE – February 04, 2018:
After thousands of years of turning the soil upside-down, farmers are finally realizing they’re killing the microorganisms that keep soil alive… Faced with losing the farm, more and more are converting to the ancient “no-till” methods of permaculture.
Originally published January 27, 2018: In the no-till gardening method seedlings are planted into tiny holes drilled with as little disturbance to the soil as possible.
To “till” soil means to dig it up, stir it, or turn it over. Whether it’s done with a shovel, a hoe, a pick or a plow, the goal is to turn over the upper layer of the soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the surface, while burying weeds.
Tilling has been the hallmark of agriculture, since its inception, with the plow being the most intensive tool to this end.
But 10,000 years after we started doing it, humans are finally starting to question whether digging up the Earth is the smartest way to make her produce for us.
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