Subject: Manual on Raised Beds, a form of permaculture for the dry and wet tropics

From: Steve Diver <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 12:14:38 -0600

Recently, under the thread "Regulation of compost teas,"
I posted resources on organic farming methods (biodynamics,
organics, composts, EM, fermented plant extracts) at
Auroville in India.

Auroville is a city-in-the-making in southern India based on
the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.  Auroville has
several farms and organic farming and gardening projects.

Here is a 4-page PDF leaflet on raised beds from Auroville.

A Manual for Raised Beds, A Form of Permaculture for the
Dry and Wet Tropics

Go to HTML Source .....
Ecological Agriculture at Auroville
http://www.auroville.org/environment/agri.htm

Download the zipped PDF file at .....
A Manual for Raised Beds, A Form of Permaculture for the
Dry and Wet Tropics
http://www.auroville.org/environment/farms_news/Raised%20Beds.zip

The manual is based on the work of a dutch farmer,
Paul Teuben, who stayed at Auroville for two years.

Previously, vegetable production in the region was not
considered feasible.  The costs of production were high
and market prices were low. India has a hot climate with
wet and dry seasons and the farm and soil undergoes
hardship under these conditions.

But after people starting using the raised bed technique --
by following a particular farming system approach -- they
realized there are many benefits of this technique, including:

permanent raised beds
soil covered with organic mulches and cover crops
nutrients from liquid manures, green manures, foliage of legumes
water management
soil improvement
use of local resources
simple method to teach
seedling production and transplanting techniques
aesthetic and enjoyable gardens
beneficial insect and butterfly habitat
high yield food production
economic returns

This little leaflet is a nice summary of the methods and benefits
of raised beds, which you can add it to your sustainable farming
toolbox.

It also adds to the growing body of information on
permanent beds and biointensive agriculture.

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The work of John Jeavons and Ecology Action comes to mind:

Ecology Action Publications
http://www.growbiointensive.org/

"Grow Biointensive" books and research booklets
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/growbiointensive-books.html

Dig It!
John Jeavons Double-Digging Video
John Jeavons, 1997, 30 min
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/gb-videos.html

What is the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Food-Raising Method?
http://www.growbiointensive.org/biointensive/GROW-BIOINTENSIVE.html

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So does Roland Bunch and his Five Principles of Soil
Management for the Humid Tropics.

1. Maximize organic matter
2. Keep the soil covered
3. Use zero tillage
4. Maximize biodiversity
5. Feed the crops through the mulch

Nutrient Quantity or Nutrient Access?:  A New Understanding of How
to Maintain Soil Fertility in the Tropics
By Roland Bunch, October 2001
HTML Gateway through MOIST:
http://ppathw3.cals.cornell.edu/mba_project/moist/RolandB.html

Bunch's Paper in PDF:
http://ppathw3.cals.cornell.edu/mba_project/moist/Roland.pdf
        A 19-page PDF download

NECOFA -- Network for Ecofarming in Africa -- provides
Roland Bunch's paper in in HTML:
http://www.necofa.org/activities/publications/bunch_primav.html

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So does Mark Cain's market farming approach in the Ozarks,
inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka and Emilia Hazelip:

No-Till, Mulch-Based Market Gardening
http://www.seedballs.com/mcain.html

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So does Emilia Hazelip's market farming approach in
southern France -- known as Synergistic Gardening --
inspired by Masonobu Fukuoka and Permaculture:

The Synergistic Garden
By Emilia Hazelip
http://www.seedballs.com/hazelip.html

The Four Principles Of Synergistic Agriculture

1.  Keep the soil undisturbed and uncompacted.
2.  Use the soil's self-fertility as fertilizer.
3.  Integrate the litter zone with the agricultural soil profile.
4.  Establish a partnership with beneficials to protect crops.

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So does Ken Hargesheimer in Texas, with his teaching approach
to permanent raised beds, based on his worldwide travels:
http://www.minifarms.com/

Raised Bed Agriculture | Ken Hargesheimer
http://www.minifarms.com/rba.html

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Regards,
Steve Diver

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