The No-Till Systems I Use (and why)

In this week's Sunday video, I'm breaking down the different no-till systems we use on our farm in Central Kentucky––why, where, and with which crops. We talk about deep compost/no dig. We discuss shallow compost mulching, small scale cover crops, and (somehow) more!

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[Followyourlight]

I can’t get enough of this channel!! Sometimes I go back and re-rewatch episodes. So much great info which ties into the book. Bravo!!

[tanarehbein]

Charles Dowding baby! One inch of compost per crop with an amazing harvest! I have been known to just add compost to the furrow or the hole (in the case of squash) with wonderful results. I am speaking from heavy clay alkaline soil in zone 4.

[alisongiraud]

As a market gardener in the south of France, I am very inspired by your work and have bought and devoured your book :)
Thank you for what you do!

[kannmann]

I always wake up sundays ready for farmers market… that intro song jacked me up for the day!

[fiorevitola]

We access horse manure and stockpile it to create compost while using it as compost in our fields lightly tilling it in the spring for beading areas. as well we use cover crops in the fall to keep the soil feed and active during the none growing of crop season. We are in zone 6-A NJ.

[mikehelmink]

If you live in a grain growing area, there are elevators or coops that store grain outside over the winter. These are excellent sources of tarps. These places normally throw away the plastic tarp after one season and they will give you the used tarp for free. I have some of this tarp that was heading for the landfill. I've gotten 5 seasons out them so far. Excellent video as always.

[klaussemand]

I've just subscribed to your channel because of this one video. A lot of information in only 14 minutes and it didn't even seem hurried. What strikes me is that no til/no dig here is taken to a fairly large scale, if I'm not wrong, and the feasibility of it all fills me with hope for future agriculture. Thanks a bunch!

[SimplisticFarms]

Great video Jesse🤙 I love the fact that you are focused on options other than Deep Mulch Compost. For a lot of us it's just not an economically viable option. Nice job as always 👏

[jeancampbell]

The picture taken from above of your veg beds looks like a work of art. Just beautiful.Thanks for an inspiring video.

[gchrom]

With compost prices having gone up nearly 25% since last autumn in the corner Europe where I'm located, I've been doing my best to find alternatives. Glad I'm not the only one looking to cut back on compost. Thanks for sharing!

[manolopapas]

I love your videos, and enjoy your style. I really appreciate all the information you provide us. Thank you.

[jonstachowicz]

Love seeing these short videos! It's like the podcast, but we can see all the things your discussing! Hope the season has gotten off to a great start and the family is doing great!! Keep up the great work and can't wait to see what trials your are doing this year!

[JRileyStewart]

I started 'no-dig' gardening in Spring '20. Used 2 different bulk compost sources, one was mushroom compost the other leaf compost in the first beds. I also found serious problems growing in the composts (leaf was much better than mushroom, tho). I've been researching 'why?' through the literature and developed an hypothesis that relates to your definition of "mulchy" compost, i.e., It dries out super fast in summer down to 4-5 inches. It likes to shed water until the surface becomes saturated, and doesn't support plant growth. One important element that most composts DO NOT possess is clay particles. I think that may be key. Scientific research found that 4-12% by weight of clay added to compost significantly improved biomass and (I think) flowering and fruiting of their subject plant. I've experimented this season with dousing certain areas like tomatoes and cucumbers with clay slurry (cat litter in a bucket of water), but I think I didn't add it early enough or perhaps in sufficient mass. Ever thought of doing something like this (adapted to your much larger scale of course)? I'm considering treating all my beds this Fall with the clay slurry for next season. (My sub-soil is heavy clay, and it appears to be integrating the organic matter applied in 2020 and 2021).

[naturekins]

As strange as it sounds, I have used fresh manure from our goats (wasted hay and goat manure ) as a winter mulch for years and it has always worked for me. The worms go crazy and I just part the partially decomposed manure in the spring and plant. I also use this for mulching my paths sometimes covered with some bark chips (mostly in the greenhouse) This is what I have access to and have learned to work with it and get massive yields every year..

[SeeStuDo]

Love the channel. I'm gardening in containers and fenceline outside and using no-dig with heavy chop and drop all year long (including thick application in winter), I've seen the soil improve in production quality every year of the last 4. Having some perennials and heavy reseeding in each bed and bin seems to jump start my soil life every Spring (choose the weeds you want, I say). High density and high diversity also seems to keep my soil healthy and kicking when other planters and pots run out of steam. This year I'm experimenting with micro varieties of peas placed to re-stimulate nitrogen in select bins. Still a work in progress, but the soil regeneration practices of no-till are working to boost and extend soil fertility on a container garden scale for me.

[abugman]

Once again, awesome entertainment and learning time. Thanks, Farmer Jesse! Much Love 💚

[joshmo]

We’ll be trying the same garlic/winter squash rotation in our new plot, but I’m going to avoid broadforking our clay and try root intensive cover crops this fall and winter instead, followed by yearly light layers of homemade compost. Having such a long season in SC, we can get away with cover cropping between squash harvest and garlic planting as well.

[bobbiessalon]

I have have put cardboard down for my paths with what ever I can get.Hay, horse poop aged, pine needles, and grass clippings.I have red clay so anytime has got to help

[ronaldcummings]

I really want to know how much time you spend on harvest and pack for the farmers market. Do you do that all in one day or spread it out? Do you have y walk-in cooler? Do you use refrigerators? It takes me four to five hours just to do microgreens on Friday. I also do cherry tomatoes which I can generally harvest/pack on other days. Since I have a high tunnel I also planted Turmeric and Ginger this year in lieu of some shorter season crops like okra. I have access to turkey litter (non organic) that I compost along with crop residue and used potting mix from microgreens and any other carbon such as grass clippings and leaves. I am in my second season of farmers market and find that there's a lot of hype about how easy it is to make money with microgreens. I have to spend a lot of time educating customers on their benefits. I don't really have time to chase after restaurants. We don't really have high end restaurants here in rural Missouri. I sold all of my radishes this spring and will plant four times as many next year. I work about 90 percent alone and want to expand my gardens. I have very little outdoor space in use currently. I own ten acres of Ozarks ridge and rocks. I could seriously use another partner. Do you do all of your gardening alone? How do you divide your labor if not?

[johnmurphy]

Where I'm at with mushroom compost at $100 plus a yard locally, I built 5 deep compost beds last fall and I love them. Using them for radish, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Had to figure our a way to expand this year without dumping thousands into compost so I opened up an additional 7/10 of an acre with traditional means. Plow then disc and till if need be. From this point I doubt I will have to plow again. Once cash crops are out of whatever areas I'll be planting cover crops and adding my own compost I am making from the farm!! I wouldn't be opposed to chisel plowing if absolutely necessary the next couple years but if everything works out as planned I will have the same set up as raised beds only they won't be raised anymore. Wallapinas will be coming within the next 2 years as well!