Yes, I saw the program, but it did strike me as odd, that he was not using it for vegetables, which is where the method has really gained credence, especially considering CD was first a guest on the programme nearly 18 months ago. I am a fan of the technique, it clearly makes sense.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
zero till is becoming much more common now driven by fuel and input costs primarily but farmers are being surprised by the success after the 1st couple of seasons.
If you read the chapter I put in above your post you'll see farmers crop yields are down. It will be more than made up for though by (as you say) using less labour and fuel.
Crop yields tend to drop in harvest 1 and 2 then tend to start increasing again. My cousin has swapped from an 8mt wide cultivator seed drill with at least 2 previous passes with cultivator to a 12mt wide zero till drill using a smaller tractor which uses 1/3 less fuel, crops are sown into the untouched stubble of the previous crops. It slashes his over heads hugely and means a drop in yield is easier to absorb. He also sow companion crops which grow fast in the autumn and flower looking quite spectacular, as they aren't hardy they die off in winter leaving the crops to grow through.
It's a huge change from a farm that 40 years ago baled ever piece of straw, burned all the stubbles, deep ploughed ever acre and cultivated several times. It was all seen as standard practice and taken a long time for change to come along, same as no dig it's a slow process changing what is seen as the time honored practice of digging veg beds every year.
crops are sown into the untouched stubble of the previous crops. It slashes his over heads hugely and means a drop in yield is easier to absorb. He also sow companion crops which grow fast in the autumn and flower looking quite spectacular, as they aren't hardy they die off in winter leaving the crops to grow through.
So interesting to see this in action at the regenerative farm at Wild Ken. Spectacular cover crops and wild flowers, good for pollinators. They have ditched many individual machines and certain soil processes and keep it minimal. Lots of experiments in 'low soil intervention' going on down there. I was there in July. [Pic of Wild Ken. Not by me].
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I am a fan of the technique, it clearly makes sense.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
It will be more than made up for though by (as you say) using less labour and fuel.
It's a huge change from a farm that 40 years ago baled ever piece of straw, burned all the stubbles, deep ploughed ever acre and cultivated several times. It was all seen as standard practice and taken a long time for change to come along, same as no dig it's a slow process changing what is seen as the time honored practice of digging veg beds every year.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."