These are very different farming practices but more importantly, different ways of thinking about the land and your farm.
Conventional
You till and have invested a pretty penny in synthetic inputs. Whatever you grow it’s a lot of acres of the same thing, a monocrop. And you may have noticed you have to use more fertilizers every year. Or maybe you have great soil and you haven’t reached that stage yet.
But you keep hearing about #ClimateChange and #TopsoilErosion and every now and then you wonder if you should change how you farm. But it’s the way that farm has been worked for generations. This year you’ll plant corn, after last year’s soybeans.
Organic
You don’t use any synthetics and you till to keep weeds down. There is a list of approved natural chemicals you can use to fight diseases and pests. The USDA inspector will check your records, so you are diligent about record keeping.
You do get a premium for your product but you are very aware of the issues surrounding farming and Climate Change. Sometimes when you go out to till you think there must be a better way to keep those weeds down. And insect damage isn’t 100% under control.
Sustainable
Your #CropRotation is a little more complex than your organic neighbor. You use no-till most of the time. You recycle everything you can, including spreading manure on your fields.
You mimic nature as much as possible. You don’t use synthetics and you have only yourself to answer to. Your goal is to retain healthy soil for next year’s crops.
There’s the theory of farming and there’s the reality. If you’re not increasing the #OrganicMatter in your soil, then one bad year and everything falls apart. Just one really wet or really dry year.
Regenerative
Often the same farming practices apply to sustainable and regenerative ag. But the mindset is different. Sustainable is like living from paycheck to paycheck. Regenerative is opening a savings account and making regular deposits.
When you commit to regenerative farming you are making a commitment not just to the land but to your community. Regen farmers have to create their own marketing systems. Many sell directly to the consumer.
#RegenerativeAg has 4 principles:
1. observe
2. act slowly and consciously
3. recognize our community is a continuum of the soil
4. pass your knowledge on to others
These principles are borrowed from indigenous cultures. Working with nature to respect all living beings, from the microbes in the soil to the politicians you don’t agree with.
It’s all connected. To find out how a regenerative farm can bring you profit and joy, contact our team at STBiologicals.com👈