“Watering of Land”
This is an original 1807 black and white copper engraving of a drawing by C. Blunt that depicts early 19th century irrigation and watering techniques that were used on English farms of the period.
This piece was illustrated by Blunt, C.. Artist name printed on page – bottom left of image.
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One of the leading authorities on biological farming, Zimmer is recognized for improving farming by restoring soils. Arguing that an optimally productive soil contains a balance of inorganic minerals, organic materials and living organisms, he relies less on modern improvements than on ”the things we’ve learned by improving fertility in a natural, sustainable way over many years.” This book offers invaluable scientific support for committed organic farmers as well as conventional farmers who’d like to reduce chemical inputs and use natural processes to their advantage. Advancing Biological Farming updates and expands upon Zimmer’s classic, The Biological Farmer. Technically precise yet written in friendly language, this book is for everyone who wants a future in bio-logical farming.
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This is an original 1934 halftone print of pigs in a field during the Dust Bowl in the Great Plains. The caption writes, “In ditches, in the stubble, unburied and unlimed, the starved beasts lay, insulting the very nostrils of that sun which had brought them down. Farmers were under strict government orders to dispose of them. But farmers, for one reason and another, got pretty sick of the government as the summer wore on and were mostly too disheartened to stir anyhow…” The caption makes reference to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, created as a part of the New Deal to help raise the value of crops and meat. Farmers were asked to kill off their excess livestock, and to let a parcel of their field lie fallow.
The Dust Bowl (Dirty Thirties) lasted from 1930 to 1936, and caused severe drought which obliterated crops and topsoil. Due to poor irrigation techniques, and the failure to rotate crops, the wind easily eroded at the soil, and dust storms became so severe that they would blacken the sky at times. During the winter of 1934-1935, snow impregnated with red dust settled onto New England. Chicago, during 1933, had dust clouds blow in from the west, and an estimated 12 million pounds of dust were blown into the city. The Dust Bowl intensified the impact of the Great Depression, and displaced millions of people, causing the largest migration in American history in such a short amount of time.
Photography by Margaret Bourke-White. Bourke-White was born in the Bronx, New York. Her interest in photography was propelled by her father’s love of cameras, and her quest for self-improvement. Bourke-White became the first female war correspondent, and the first female photographer for Life magazine. She became the staff photographer and associate editor for Fortune from 1929 to 1935.
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Global agriculture is now at the crossroads. The Green Revolution of the last century is losing momentum. Rates of growth in food production are now declining, with land and water resources becoming scarcer, while world population continues to grow. We need to continue to identify and share the knowledge that will support successful and sustainable agriculture systems. These depend crucially on soil.
Gaining international attention, Dr. Uphoff’s efforts to promote and develop sustainable agriculture was recently featured in the N.Y. Times
Led by Norman Uphoff, internationally renowned for his proactive approach to world hunger, this volume brings together 102 experts representing 28 nations and multiple disciplines to report on achievements in sustainable soil-system management. While accepting some continuing role for chemical and other external inputs, this book presents ways in which crops can be produced cost effectively in greater abundance with lessened dependence on the exogenous resources that have driven the expansion of agriculture in the past.
Including the work of both researchers and practitioners, this important volume —
· Explores soil systems in a variety of climate conditions
· Discusses the importance of symbiotic relationships between plants and soil organisms, looking at crops as integral and interdependent participants in ecosystems
· Seeks to reduce the distance between scientific research and technical practice
· Examines related considerations such as pest and disease control, climate change, fertility restoration, and uses of monitoring and modeling
With 50 self-contained chapters, this work provides researchers, practitioners, and policy makers with a comprehensive understanding of the science and steps needed to utilize soil systems for the long-term benefit of humankind.
For information on the SRI, System of Rice Intensification being developed by Uphoff and others, go to http://ciifad.cornell.edu/sri/
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Contro-Piston Syringe Offers Uninterrupted Action in a Single-Hand Technique The sterile, disposable syringe with thumb ring is designed to minimize hand slippage and prevent contamination. The barrel features raised, large and easy-to-read graduations, which are calibrated in oz and cc. The tip, elongated to facilitate tube feeding, has an extra-large orifice for better removal of clots and mucous shreds.Contro-Piston Irrigation Syringe Offers Uninterrupted Action in a Single-Hand Techique.Contro-Piston Irrigation Syringe – Piston Syringes – Includes: Soft Tray And Paper Lidding
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