I'm sorry I turn out to be right. Village farmers are now embarrassed big time.

[Hughe]

I borrowed chunk of rice patty for experiment Permaculture past March.
In South Korea modern rice grow spray fourteen to seventeen poisons - pesticides, herbicides.
I have been a walking laughing stuck, idiot farmer in home town, even among family members. LOL
Here is my logbook. http://butterflyofdream.wordpress.com/tag/permaculture/

The farmers expected a total failure in spring. Well the embarrassing fact is the rice plants that I took care as close as natural condition have grown well without any form of chemicals used. When I found Masanobu Fukuoka and Bill Mollison on the net, it was a shock.
http://butterflyofdream.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/fukuoka20visits20united20states_35.jpg?w=300&h=203

So many people are sick nowadays. One out of four adult Koreans get some form of cancer during life time. How crazy it is? By the way I don't even bother to pay public health care insurance at 70,000 KWR ($65 USD) per month.

Two days ago I went to the rice patty to pick up weeds before the harvest. I think I'll need to spend 10 to 12 hours for the weed removal job. Dominant weeds are five to eight feet tall. Impressive. I wish I could eat them too but.

It's irrelevant who is right or wrong. The problem I see is the stupidity and ignorance of collective mind. I 'm uncertain I would get free rice patty for next year again. The upset farmer might refuse to renew the contract. He spend entire life as a good farmer. Imagine one day a city guy shows up, "Hey, your rice growing method is totally wrong. I'll prove it if you lend me a small rice patty. I'll grow rice plants all by myself."

I respected his way of living, honest and hard work. I'm guilty that I had few heated debate about conventional farming technologies. He absolutely convinced that using various poisons and heavy machines is the future. I said no showing the destruction of nature, sick people around the world.

I'm afraid I would get a free rice patty coming year which is actually irrelevant to me. My house property covered with green mass, next year I'll create a food garden there. My goal is if there are people to listen and learn, I'll show them how to do it. There are so many things to learn in life.

http://butterflyofdream.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_0051.jpg?w=640&h=426

http://butterflyofdream.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_0056.jpg?w=640&h=956

http://butterflyofdream.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_0064.jpg?w=640&h=956

http://butterflyofdream.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_0067.jpg?w=640&h=426

[panopticon]

G'day Hughe,


I borrowed chunk of rice patty for experiment Permaculture past March.
...
The farmers expected a total failure in spring. Well the embarrassing fact is the rice plants that I took care as close as natural condition have grown well without any form of chemicals used.
...
Two days ago I went to the rice patty to pick up weeds before the harvest. I think I'll need to spend 10 to 12 hours for the weed removal job. Dominant weeds are five to eight feet tall. Impressive.


How did the harvest go?
How did your yield compare to the conventional farmers in your region?



It's irrelevant who is right or wrong. The problem I see is the stupidity and ignorance of collective mind. I'm uncertain I would get free rice patty for next year again. The upset farmer might refuse to renew the contract. He spend entire life as a good farmer. Imagine one day a city guy shows up, "Hey, your rice growing method is totally wrong. I'll prove it if you lend me a small rice patty. I'll grow rice plants all by myself."

I respected his way of living, honest and hard work. I'm guilty that I had few heated debate about conventional farming technologies. He absolutely convinced that using various poisons and heavy machines is the future. I said no showing the destruction of nature, sick people around the world.

Check the way harvesting is done by the conventional farmers in the region.
Is it mechanical or muscle?
If your yield is reasonably close to the conventional farmers and lower cost in production (ie no use of poisons and fertiliser) then some farmers will consider the cost benefits. Remember, they are pragmatists and it is often about costs for a commercial enterprise. If you have proven that costs are lower while yield is comparable, and can do it consistently over a period of time, then some may look at trying a trial patch themselves. The ability for a farmer to use mechanical harvesting is often the restriction.



I'm afraid I would get a free rice patty coming year which is actually irrelevant to me. My house property covered with green mass, next year I'll create a food garden there. My goal is if there are people to listen and learn, I'll show them how to do it. There are so many things to learn in life.


I reckon you've got an excellent attitude Hughe.
Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk.

Good luck with the house and garden!
Kind Regards, :yo:
Panopticon

[Cjay]

I hope you are allowed to grow rice next year. It would be great if one of the farmers who laughed at your idea actually tried it and succeeded. After a few years, the idea would catch on and the health of the community would improve.

[Arrowwind]

Huge, I do hope that you try to grow rice again. It may take more effort to rededucate folks. Also, if your land that you are growing on has had chemicals in the past it may take several seasons to fully restore its health. You will likely have better crops in the future as you apply organic composts and reawaken the soil.

As for the weeds, I'm finding that in my area some of them are quite edible either for humans or various types of livestock. Some are even medicinal and some are more nutritious that what we commonly eat. When I weed I put the weeds in a wagon and walk them over to my neighor's goats... who of course eat most anything. Good organic weeds are useful and at the very least they make the compost pile bigger. If people keep goats around where you are you could experiment with that. Every bale of hay that is saved is money in the pocket.