Employing Nature For Solutions

Environmentally Sound Practices That Result In Profits

By Denice Rackley

Sustainable agriculture requires us to preserve and protect the environment while also making a profit. Most of us couldn’t continue in agriculture without ensuring that our time and effort are well invested. If we don’t make a profit, we go out of business.

There is no doubt that modern agriculture benefits from technology. After all, this blog is available through technology that is evolving at an incredible pace. When we have problems, we grab our smartphone or laptop, relying on Google for answers.

We find answers, however, we seem to overlook simple solutions that have been in place long before we held computers in the palm of our hands. If we stop to look and listen, we find answers to many, if not all, of our questions within nature. 

Nature is a great teacher

Nature offers many solutions for those committed to sustainable living.

Sustainable living and sustainable agriculture practices emphasize the entire ecosystem, not just a selected piece. Conserving water and energy, protecting air and water quality, maintaining healthy soils, preserving wildlife habitat, and improving the economic vitality of individuals and communities - each plays a vital role to ensure the entire ecosystem can thrive.

Increasing biodiversity within plant and animal communities always serves to bring a more balanced system. This balance is seen both above and below the ground.

When we give nature the tools she needs, she does most of the work for us.

It doesn’t matter if you live in the city or on 1000 acres: you can manage your borrowed piece of this earth to benefit yourself, the next generation, and the earth.

Nature-based solutions

Let’s look at just a few of the common problems we encounter and the solutions nature provides –

Wildlife eating their way through your potential harvest? Insects, rodents, birds, even grazing deer or elk can decimate our forage, orchards, grain crops, or vegetables in short order. How do we manage these ‘pests’ naturally while also protecting our investment? 

Employ natural predators.

1. Insects

• Chickens are more than happy to belly up to your field or garden insect smorgasbord.

• Install bluebird boxes.

  Bluebirds consume 2000 insects a day.  That’s close to 100 times their body weight.       

• Install bat houses.

  A single bat can eat about 1,200 mosquito-sized insects an hour.  Bats consume between 6,000 – 8,000 insects a night!

• Buy or attract insect predators.

  By maintaining the biodiversity or planting a garden near your field, crops, or barn, you can attract a wide array of wonderful insects -dragonflies, praying mantis, lady bugs, spiders…

  These beneficial insects will help control others.

2. Rodents

• Attract owls and hawks.

Providing nesting boxes and perches will attract raptors. A barn owl can consume 1000 mice and voles a year.

3. Flocks of birds

• Deter flocks with falcons.

• Offer your property for local falconers to fly their birds or pay a local falconer to patrol your property. Bird abatement – scaring off birds that would otherwise eat the fruit, is a common practice in areas of the country that have vineyards and orchards

4. Coyotes, wolves, bear, eagles, vultures

• Livestock guardian animals – specific dog breeds, donkeys, and llamas

  Livestock guardians have been used for centuries to keep flocks and herds safe from predation

5. Deer & elk

• If fencing is not practical, livestock guardian dogs can be used to keep deer and elk herds moving along

• Not only does nature provide solutions for those creatures that would enjoy eating your crops, but nature also provides answers to improve those crops by providing better soils for them to grow.

Want to increase production from soils?

1. Improve soil health

• Numerous natural solutions that improve soil health

  Mulch - control erosion, maintain moisture, reduce weed growth

• Cover crops – add nutrients & biodiversity, break up compaction

• Organic matter – increase water holding capacity, add nutrients

2. Mow between rows of trees or vines naturally 

• Employ sheep

3. Harvest failed crops or crop aftermath without using fuel

• Add livestock

4. Control weeds in your pasture

• Intentional grazing techniques will reduce weeds

• Adding other species to the rotation will benefit pastures

5. Wildfire prevention

• Sheep and goats eat underbrush doing away with fuel for wildfires

Sustainability is a good PR

Take a look at the wine industry in California.

according to the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, an incredible 85% of CA wine is made in sustainable wineries accounting for over 3.6 million cases of wine, and 45% of the state’s wine acreage is certified sustainable. The sustainable label sells wine.

Sustainable practices are a great way to begin conversations with customers. Teaching customers that not only are you growing nutritious products but you are also investing in the local economy and environment is a great way to build your brand.

Mimicking nature benefits the whole ecosystem

As the layers of biodiversity build with eco-friendly practices you will attract more songbirds, bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects that will lead to more assistance from nature helping you in your journey to live sustainably.

When you mimic nature and follow her lead, you can find solutions that are good for your land and operation that support a healthy ecosystem and benefit the environment.

*****This article is simply a place to begin, giving you ideas and helping you think outside the conventional box.

These lists are nowhere near a complete representation of the solutions nature offers.