Climate: Farmers can help environment, themselves

Four changes in farming practices will reduce climate warming and make farming more profitable.

First, stop plowing. It rips apart the microorganism community and prevents their job of putting nutrients back into the soil. Use no-till methods instead.

Second, grow cover crops - grasses, orbs, legumes - up to 75 varieties.

Third, rotate crops.

Fourth, use mob grazing. Bunch animals (cows, sheep, goats) tightly together and move daily to a new spot. Let land rest for a year. Manure will help replenish nutrients.

Farmers using these practices save money once soil is back to health by not having to buy fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and GMO seeds.

They also save money by reducing the number of passes over land, reducing cost of fuel and machinery and freeing up their time.

This story was originally published August 21, 2019 at 3:44 PM.