One Straw (Book Review needed)

[Labrat407]

The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming

Has any one read this book?

[Terri]

I have, and it is wonderfull.

Basically, the author talks about working WITH nature instead of against her.

Most of his techniques did not work for me: my climate is drier and and the seeds did not germinate well. But, it was still a fascinating read.

[Liese]

A great classic - you might want to see if your library will get it for you unless you just like collecting books. It's a thought provoking read but I wouldn't think you'd need to read it more than once. The seed ball idea is something I've always wanted to try!

[Terri]

The seed ball is what did not work for me.

A dry spell after I threw them around allowed the seed balls to dry out. Germination was poor.

Dry spells are common in Kansas. Perhaps in Japan the rain is more reliable and steady (which would be why they prefer to raise rice)!

An interesting alternative would be to scatter the seeds out, then run over them with a tiller to mix them in. Clover seed could be scattered at the same time.

[HermitJohn]

Look for a book called Plowmans' Folly. Simular philosophy, techniques from 1930s American perspective and so little more technical and practical. Dont think its in print anymore, may find it in library or somewhere on internet there was a place to download it for free. May have been an Australian site.

Same trouble though, guy who wrote it lived in wetter climate. Techniques worked when I lived in Michigan, not so well in Arkansas.

[canadiangirl]

I read it many years ago. I liked it, and maybe stopped pulling so many volunteers, but it's just not me. I did enjoy the read though.

[Wanderer0101]

I read it and like it but I believe it's very situational. You have to be in the right place and your requirements have got to be very flexible.

[Ed K]

I like it and have read it several times. I also have a video of Masanobu Fukuoka's farm which was put out by Rodale probably in the 1980's. I'd reccomend it although as the others stated it's unlikely that the exact rotations used by Fukuoka could be replicated in your area.

[sgl42]

i've read it free from soil & health library, (http://www.soilandhealth.org/) in the agriculture section. They do ask, but not require, a donation to support their site.

ag section: http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglib...ibwelcome.html

lots of other really great books at that site too.
--sgl

[sgl42]

Originally Posted by HermitJohn

Look for a book called Plowmans' Folly.

also avail at soil & health library which I mentioned in post above:

http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglib...ibwelcome.html

Faulkner, Edward H. Plowman's Folly. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1943.

Faulkner's book created a flurry of popular interest in alternatives to "scientific" agriculture. It is probably most important for what happened in American consciousness because of the interest it created rather than because of what the book says. Downloads as PDF of 387 kb. OUT OF PRINT.

http://www.soilandhealth.org/copyfor...ookcode=010110

--sgl

[Shinsan]

Thanks for that link, sgl42. The site has a wealth of information on it.
Have you checked out http://www.journeytoforever.org/? I find that also to be good source.

[Jeff54321]

There is a yahoo group that discusses the merits of Masanobu Fukuoka's farming techniques. It is a very diverse group from all over the world.

[huisjen]

One day one of his apprentices came out in the morning to find Fukuoka making a careful trench with a hoe. He measured out his pea seed, placing one every two inches, then covered them over to an even depth and watered them in.

The apprentice asked, "But Sensai, what about making seed balls and broadcast planting in the fields and orchards?"

Fukuoka smiled and nodded. "Yes, seedballs are good Zen, but this is what you do if you want a good harvest of peas."

I got this story from an issue of Small Farmer's Journal a year or two ago. I may have small inaccuracies in the exact wording, but the story is not fiction.

[george darby]

it has been a long time since i read the book but it is a interesting book to read . he was a microbiologist at the begining of WW2 and returned to the family village after being relieved of duty due to a mental breakdown . from what history shows was going on with the japanese milatary and biological experements no wonder he couldnt continue his career. a disapointment to his family a scolar reduced tohard manual labor .he questioned the reasons and nessecity of the backbreaking labor and adherence to neetness of japanese agriculture .he admits tht many of his experements were dismal failures but with an open mind he suceded in developing methods that worked where he was .he turned back to a organic type agriculture when japan was becoming increasingly chemical orientated.while we are discusing asian agriculture i would recomend Farmers of fourty centuries by King writen in the early 1900s it looks at the farming methods of china gives an idea of some of the extreames that were went to to keep a crop fertlized and growing

[Freeholder]

I've read the book a couple of times -- it's a good read. He never intended his ideas to be adopted 'as-is' in other climates. It was meant to provoke thought and experimentation so people could figure out better ways of doing things in their own areas.

Kathleen

[William]

I agree that it is his attitude that is to be cultivated; methods are site specific.
It is always a bit misleading to the reader when a quarter-century (or more) is redacted into a short book.
His epiphany (in hospital while fighting pneumonia, as I remember it) is the part that I found... a serendipitous joy.
Fukuoka does not attack the land. He watches it, and adapts himself to it (not the other way around).
This might be off off-topic, but when El Lugar Mas Pequeño (The Tiniest Place) comes onto the rental market, give it a watch.

[PNP Katahdins]

Old-thread alert. 5 1/2 years....

[William]

I forum-searched 'Fukuoka' after being emailed by homesteadingtoday.com to come back and join the fun.
+1 for Plowmans' Folly (it is available on Amazon) and Farmers of Forty Centuries.
Also check out 'The Ruth Stout No-Work Garden Book.'
Indeed, Fukuoka deserves a brand new thread!
He is the timeless sort.