Second C.R.A.F.T. Day Theme: Soil

We went to another farm yesterday. It was really interesting as this farmer is quite inventive and handy. He showed us some of his inventions - including a transplanter with a watering device attached, as well as a tractor that pulled a water barrel so you could water only the plants and not the middle row and thus not the weeds. He's slowly working to be off grid from the looks of it. He's experimenting with windmills and has one that will pump water from the pond into a water trough for the cows. He did this to keep the pond water clean and stop the banks from being ruined by constant trodding by the cows. We saw how he managed the land on a rotation scheme so his cows moved from pasture to pasture, his crops rotated and the land was allowed to "rest" every...5 years for the pasture and a little longer for the crop fields. He plants clover on the fields that are resting. Red clover is said to be the best but he's been planting yellow and white clover because his bees really like them. The clover, I think he said, brings nitrogen back into the soil. We got to see how to turn manure with a big rotating machine and heard from a neighbour farmer how well clover works and the bad things about GMO plants. We then helped to split some wood using a wood splitter he made himself. 

Overall it was a good experience and interesting. He has a lot of ideas and most of them he gained and learned through mistakes. I'm looking forward to the next one! Ours is coming up too. I'll have pictures up soon, I just need my camera cord.