# Walking The Mechanization Tightrope In Farming

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2015/11/walking-the-mechanization-tightrope-in-farming/
- Published: 2015-11-25T16:53:38-05:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

Producing plants and animals for human consumption was once a very clean process.
Hunter-gatherers of the early world simply sought out and harvested what they needed.
However, the world’s burgeoning population is an unavoidable barrier to this process.
In order to feed the billions inhabiting the globe, farming is necessary. And as
land has been consumed for other purposes. So the productivity needed from each 
acre of farm has pushed ever higher. As a result, intensive practices involving 
chemicals and fuel-hungry equipment have become standard.

[⌊Farming and chemicals in food⌉⌊Farming and chemicals in food⌉[

The Future of Cultivating Food

But many consumers are working toward a better way. The desire to source one’s own
food through a [greener process. It ](https://web.archive.org/web/20170115091725/https://greenlivingguy.com/2015/10/17/connecting-the-dots-on-going-green-by-starting-with-what-i-eat/)
is gaining momentum. The initial quest to eliminate all chemicals and fuel. All 
that has been redirected to some extent, though. These consumers are realizing there
is a place for judicious. Yet the limited use of mechanized equipment. Sometimes
there is just no way around it. The fact is that if everyone were as willing to 
utilize alternatives. So we wouldn’t have the carbon and chemical problems we have
now.

This pragmatic approach to restrained use of mechanization follows several key issues.

### **Utilization of Animal Waste **

One other major area where manual labor can’t cut it is in handling of bulk materials,
most particularly livestock waste. While it’s ideal to avoid having animals in concentrated
areas where manure can accumulate, there are certain situations such as winter feeding
where at least a limited amount of this must take place.

In order to avoid overloading those areas with the resulting nutrients (and subsequently
starving other areas of them), it is best to load it into a spreader and redistribute
it across the farm. The equipment need not be massive; just find a Bobcat skid steer
at [Fastline](https://web.archive.org/web/20180207124741/https://www.fastline.com/listings.aspx?Category=Skid+Steers&Manufacturer=Bobcat)
and use this maneuverable implement to thoroughly clear areas of waste. The modest
investment of this fuel and time not only eliminates runoff and soil pollution at
the source of the manure, it also places those valuable nutrients in areas where
it can supplant chemical fertilizers.

## **Chemical Reduction**

Weeds are one of the greatest enemies of agriculture. Two of the main strategies
for eradicating weeds are [cultivation](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/06/can-cannabis-cultivation-lead-to-additional-environmental-impacts/)
and chemicals. While [cultivation](https://hgic.clemson.edu/?fs=1253) does require
considerable fuel, **_it is still preferable to applications of chemicals that require
roughly the same fuel use in addition to the introduction of chemicals with deleterious
environmental and health effects._**

Certainly a manual process of removing weeds with hoes or other hand tools is the
cleanest, but that is impractical for a farm of any size. This can also lead to 
issues with migrant labor and the costs associated with their movement from farm
to farm for work. Again, the thinking has moved away from never using fuel, toward
a measured utilization of power equipment to avoid other, more pollutive options.

#### **Transportation To Market**

The first reaction of many green consumers is that the ideal marketing system is
for customers to come to you and purchase goods right on the farm. That way the 
farm doesn’t expend any [fuel in transportation](https://greenlivingguy.com/2007/08/new-standard-for-cleaner-transportation-fuels-released/).

But examining this more closely, we see that it’s highly inefficient. Dozens of 
cars trekking many miles to the farm for a small purchase adds up to far more carbon
impact than a few larger trucks efficiently taking the products to a market closer
to the homes of the buyers. Perhaps somewhere in the middle might be a carpooling
process whereby many consumers travel together, but by and large, big trucks are
a more efficient solution.

The thought process that has [led to this gentle acceptance](https://greenlivingguy.com/2015/04/led-acceptance-worldwide/)
of limited mechanization can be a slippery slope. The most important criterion in
determining whether use of machinery is worthwhile is its ability to substitute 
for a more problematic alternative. It should never be only about simplicity, speed,
or cost. As long as this balancing act is carefully executed, mechanization can 
continue a limited role even in greener agriculture.