EMAU FARMS- SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

As part of overall goal to establish simple methods for dry gardening in Sustainable Agriculture, our goal this winter year 2021-2022 is the establishment a garden that is resilient to climate change (i.e retains moitsure from winter rains to be used in the 2022 growing season without additional watering or irrigation during summer). As a first step, we have determined the profile of soil texture (i.e.% gravel, sand, silt and clay) at multiple sites throughout the garden. For each site, we determine % gravel, sand, silt and clay in two soil horizons ( topsoil and subsoil). We used a modified method of soil sedimentation using mason glass jars to allow determination of gravel, sand, silt and clay separately. The modified method is illustrated in the Figure below: The results are shown in the table below: These results show that the soil throughout the garden is gravelly sandy loam and are consistent with public soil records for our area- due to glacial till. The percent clay ...

An essential aspect of sustainable agriculture is to develop resiliency to changes in climate. One aspect of this resiliency is to be able to capture and maintain soil moisture even during prolonged drought. Our goal this year (2021) is to capture the rain water from winter-Spring seasons into the soil of the garden for use in the Summer of 2022. We shall evaluate effectiveness in the summer by observing plant growth and determining whether or not they need watering from an external source. Since clay particles, due to their small size, have greater capacity to maintain/retain water/moisture, it is essential to accurately determine the percent clay, sand and silt in the soil; and thus, modify the soils in the garden accordingly. The profile soil in our area of Bainbridge Island, Washington, is considered to be gravelly sandy loam. We considered it neccessary to confirm the soil profile present in the specific site of the garden. We utilized soil sedimentation test by suspending so...

Our goal this year is to design a vegetable garden that is resilient to climate change by trapping water from the winter-spring rains into the soil. One step in that process is determination of soil texture by determining the percent sand, silt and clay in the soil present in the garden. Once the texture of soil is knwon, we can modify it accordingly to help trap water. We used simple method soil sedimentation test using glass jars to suspend soil sample in water, then allow it to sediment by gravity into layers of sand, silt and clay, which we can measure and use to calculate percentages of each layer. We conducted this experiment by suspending soil in water with (Jars 1 - 5) or without (Jars 6 - 10) dish soap. In addition, since clay particles are affected by sodium chloride to aggregate etc we determined the effect of adding sodium chloride at various time points during the sedimentation. Note: all Jars when shaken vigorously for 5 - 10 minutes, and set down on a flat table at...

Peter Emau: One challenge for farmers/gardeners in areas of glacial till with gravelly sandy loam or with soil profiles having high sandy texture- is how to retain moisture into the soil to allow gardening with little or no additional watering. In preparation for the 2022-spring gardening season, we are experimenting with a garden design to retain moisture from the rains in the fall-autumn and winter seasons. Given the soil profile which is predominantly gravelly sandy loam, we are adding alternating layers of straw and manure + soil as illustrated below: A a garden plot in preparation: For each garden plot, soil profile is determined up to 4ft depth to determine percent sand, silt and clay to determine the capacity of the each plot to retain moisture. The ultimate goal is to establish something like this Kale plant- which grew throughout last summer of 2021 ( 3 - 4 months without rain) on this organic heap without additional watering.

This year's (2021) dry-hot summer in the Pacific Nortwest resulted in marked loss of soil moisture. For soils with predominant sand texture (e.g. loamy sand), the loss of soil moisture resulted in permanent plant wilting/drying, especially, those plants with shallow roots - within 6 - 10 inches of topsoil. Under these conditions of adverse changing climate, one challeng for a gardener/farmer is to determine/identify factors for moisture retention, and plant growth with minimum or no irrigation. For such soils, one option to retain moisture for plant growth is by improving the soil structure using organic matter. Example: a single Kale plant is thriving well on organic mulch. Another example: Dandelion with very deep roots under an old wood is surviving. Perhaps the wood helping is retaining moisture. By Peter Emau

In the Pacific Northwest, like other areas, this year 2021 has seen clear changes in climate. In the Pacific Northwest, the specific changes included prolonged drought-high temperatures during the spring-summer. One challenge for a farmer, under this conditions, is how to sustain gardening throughout the year with minimal or no irrigation/watering to grow healthy vegetables foods. The challenge is more acute for a combination of soils (such as sandy soils when compared to clay soils) that have relatively little capacity to hold moisture; and for plants with shallow roots (e.g within the top 6 - 12 inches of soil/garden surface). Perhaps we can learn from the plants themselves as shown in the following pictures: A: The leaves of grass with shallow roots ( mostly with the 6 inches layer of top soil) on sandy loam soil (16% Clay; 13% silt and 71% sand) has driedied-up due to prolonged drought (at least 2 months without rain): B: The roots (bunch type are) dried-up as well. C: Ho...

by Peter Emau: A goal of EMAU FARMS LTD is to raise livestock and poultry in pasture consistent with nature. Here we show pictures of such activities: While the goats search for and graze on fresh pasture (leaves, stems etc), the chickens search and eat the insects/worms etc that run away from the goats.

by Peter Emau One common challenge in sustainable agriculture is finding enough time for growing healhty foods. At this time of COVID pandemic, most people are forced to work from home. Therefore, there is an opportunity to allocate time (break time) for gardening. We tested one option of dividing the garden into plots equivalent to tasks that can be completed within 15-minutes, assuming one takes a 15-minute break and spends that time to complete a sepecific garden task (e.g, sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting) on a single plot. We divided the garden into 6ft x 6ft plots ( i.e 2 meters x 2 meters) for which such a a specific garden task can be completed by one person within 15 minutes. The size of the plot may vary for each person. This 15-minute break provides not only healthy mental and physical activity for the brain and body (that can be beneficial for the work), it provides time for grow healthy foods. Below is an examples of garden plots:

by Peter Emau One objective of EMAU FARM's sustainable agriculture program is to establish and preserve grains such as finger millet- that has been used for many generations as stable food in many regions of the world. Birds, including poultry, also love to eat millet.  Specifically, the objective is to test the growth, of different varieties of Finger Millet from India and Africa in Ohio, US.  The challenge for Ohio is that growth of Finger Millet is affected not only by the climatic conditions, but also by the photoperiodism (.e. Finger millet is a Short-day plant, for which onset of flowering requires long nights of approximately 12 hours ).  Thus, plants will need to be ready to start flowering by August- September (when the day-length decreases from 13 or less hours/night-length increases from 11 or more hours a day).  The ideal variety would be that which requires 10 - 11 hours of darkness to start flowering; which would mean it starts flowering by early August...