Jump to content
IndiaDivine.org

Ayurvedic farming - Concluding post

Rate this topic


Guest guest

Recommended Posts

In yesterdays post we considered how life forces of nature are

harnessed in compost. In todays post we see other additions in brief.

Members interested in detailed descriptions can contact the author

off-list.

 

The Plant between the Sun and the Earth

 

There are also two preparations used for balancing the plant's

growth between the sun and the earth. One preparation is applied to

the soil, helping the plants develop deeper roots and activating the

micro-organisms in the soil. The other helps the plants improve light

absorption, ripening and ultimately reconnecting to finer cosmic

forces, which are important for the plants' medicinal and nutritive

values. Silica is applied to the part of the plant you wish to

harvest when it is forming. The other, a humic compound, is applied

to the soil. The first is applied very early in the morning, at dawn

when the sun is rising, or `breathing out,' which coincides with the

rising of the plant's sap towards the tips. The latter is applied

when the sun is setting, or `breathing in,' and the plant's sap and

activity is drawing back to its roots. Thus, they are connected to

the rhythm of the day. In fact, these two preparations are also made

in connection with the rhythm of the year: Silica is produced in the

summer, and Humus in the winter.

 

We are aware how homeopathic medications are prepared by increasing

their potency. In the same manner Silica preparation is handled while

adding to the plant. The principles are similar to the way ayurveda

recommends making `Anshodaka'. For brevity, details of applications

are omitted from the post. Interested members contact off-list. The

stirring required for application, when done in a group of people,

can also be looked at as an exercise for developing will and

concentration, even meditation. The Silica preparation is stirred in

the same fashion but sprayed as a fine mist on the foliage in the

early morning. The process to which they are subjected and the way of

stirring results in a product possessing a concentration similar to a

homeopathic remedy, which is required in very small amounts. So, 50

grams of silica preparation and just 2 grams humic compound are

sufficient for one acre.

 

These preparations help adjust the environment, making it more

suitable for the plant. If, for instance, one does not have the

ecologically optimal situation for the cultivation of a medicinal

plant, these preparations are helpful in adjusting a plant's

ecological needs by balancing them with more or less of the required

environmental conditions, thus coming closer to its natural habitat.

Silica increases the absorption of light, compensating for poor

exposure to the sun in the valleys, while more silica and humus

compound simulates the valleys and shaded places and enhance leaf

production. For medicinal plants that require root development,

conditions will vary from those where leaf is the main medicinal

component. The same applies to the balance between bitter and sweet

substances, oils and other active principles. Of course the

appropriate location of plants, regarding shade, exposure and types

of soil, has to be determined, in conjunction with the above.

Optimising conditions is achieved by the adequate use of special

preparations and also specific compost types. There are six more

special preparation, but for the sake of brevity, author leaves them

out.

 

Pests as Indicators of Imbalances in Plant Development

 

When the soil is healthy and fertile, so are the plants, and,

generally, few if any, pests will appear. Modern scientific

specialisation has failed to address this relationship between soil

management and a particular problem of the soil. Instead of nitrogen

fertilisers, which lead to aphids and fungus, or pesticides and

fungicides, which only temporarily treat these symptoms, natural

agriculture recognises the cause and looks at the way the plant is

feeding in order to balance its composition. A wide variety of plant

extracts are known to discourage pests as well as providing strength

to a plant. For instance, a herbal brew of Artemesia repels many

pests. Nettles are especially good for aphids, and Equisetum arvensis

acts as a natural mild fungicide. When we do not resort to toxic

chemicals for the control of pests, natural predator insects, such as

ladybird beetles, green lacewings and spiders, appear. They are the

indicators that the ecosystem is in balance, and they help us to

reduce pest problems. Many common herbs and medicinal plants can be

used in this process. Cow urine can also be used, mixed with herbal

extracts, to strengthen the plant, repel pests and reduce fungus

problems. Special pesticides using cow urine, neem etc was discussed

in earlier post also.

 

Most Weeds are Medicines for Soil and Humans

 

The weeds around us reveal the health of the soil and at the same

time improve its health. Weed-cover becomes more diverse as soil

becomes richer and more porous. It is a symbiotic process where co-

evolution takes place. Hard, dense soils are colonised naturally by

hard grasses possessing powerful fibrous roots that slowly open it

up, creating the environment for other weeds to develop. A variety of

weeds can be established for the fine-tuning work of replenishing the

soil's nutrients and other aspects important for its fertility.

 

Instead of using herbicides, we can help by simply cutting the weeds

and leaving them as mulch to recycle the absorbed elements back into

the soil. By covering the bare earth with them, excess weeds will

also be balanced, evaporation reduced and erosion prevented.

 

In a series of posts, brief description of some of the practices and

principles of the natural method was provided. We have only barely

scratched the surface of this complex agricultural practice and its

understanding. The root of many incurable diseases and low-strength-

medical-herbs is the chemical environmnet brought in by incorrect

farming methods.

 

The matter discussed in the series of posts is being summarised as:

 

1. On the ideas discussed by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in

1924, natural method of agriculture evolved which seeks to actively

work with the health-giving forces of nature. It is the oldest non-

chemical agricultural movement, predating the organic agriculture

movement by some twenty years and now spreading throughout the world. Many

tribals in India know these techniques from generations.

 

2. Healthy, well-structured soil, rich in humus and high in

biological activity is a prerequisite for any sustainable

agricultural system. The experience has shown that these soil

qualities can be promoted and degradation reversed by the correct

application of natural techniques.

 

3. Natural practitioners seek to understand and work with the life

processes as well as enhance their understanding of the mineral

processes used in conventional agriculture.

 

4. Healthy soil is a prime basis for healthy plants, animals and

people. Natural farming practices are of an organic nature, not

relying on bringing artificial fertilisers on to the farm, although

some organic or natural mineral fertiliser may be necessary during

the establishment phase. We seek instead to enhance the soils

structure and nutrient cycles as well as plant growth and development

with the use of specific Preparations which are made from farm-

sourced materials.

 

These are used in conjunction with established agricultural

practices such as composting and manuring, crop and pasture

rotations, tree planting, the integrated use of livestock, etc. These

Preparations are designed to work directly with the dynamic

biological processes and cycles which are the basis of soil fertility.

 

5. Pest and disease control is generally managed by developing the

farm as a total organism. However, practitioners may make use of

specific products for weed and pest control, which they make from the

weeds and pests themselves. Weeds and pests are very useful indicators of

imbalances in soil, plants and animals; and the aim in these methods is to use

such indicators in a positive way.

 

6. If we eliminate chemical nutrition to soil, chemical medicines to

humans may also be eliminated. If soil becomes fertile so will be

humans.

 

Dr Bhate

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...