New Ground

[Eden's Garden]

OK, this is a question for anyone who's ever converted what used to be just open land into farmland.

The tall nameless weeds growing, is it best to pull them - leaving nice loose soil - or cut/til them, raking up and removing that way. I've removed several clumps in other areas and it seems that everything I've read about native weeds is true - they make the best loose soil! However, we're talking about a pretty large area and it would require several hands to pull them out and in some cases I'm sure shovels to loosen the large, tree like root balls all of this blessed rain has caused. I only wish I had had a farm planted! Anyway, Tony, or anyone else, please let me know. I'm looking to get a community garden going for this fall and I need to know whether we're going to have to rent a tractor and impliments or if it can/should be done manually.

Thanks.

[connietheartist]

Thanks for asking your question, because I had the same one! I am looking forward to the answers you get!

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

Are you going to grow crops to sell or forage for livestock to eat? What you have is probably forage. If you want to grow crops, I would mow it off and leave the roots intact in the soil. Here is a link to "The Ploughman's Folly." It is a book describing how the benefit of using a plow has never been proved. You probably are aware that the chemical salesmen always demand proof that organics works. Well, where is the proof that plowing works? Faulkner's suggestion is that the scientific proof for plowing has never been made. Furthermore, not plowing is the way to go for many reasons. You can read the entire book, free, online.