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David R. Montgomery is a professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington. He lives in Seattle with his wife, Anne Biklé, and Loki, their guide-dog dropout.
Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life
eBook
$22.73
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ISBN-13:
9780393608335
- Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
- Publication date: 05/09/2017
- Sold by: Barnes & Noble
- Format: eBook
- Pages: 320
- File size: 2 MB
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A MacArthur Fellow’s impassioned call to make agriculture sustainable by ditching the plow, covering the soil, and diversifying crop rotations.
The problem of agriculture is as old as civilization. Throughout history, great societies that abused their land withered into poverty or disappeared entirely. Now we risk repeating this ancient story on a global scale due to ongoing soil degradation, a changing climate, and a rising population.
But there is reason for hope. David R. Montgomery introduces us to farmers around the world at the heart of a brewing soil health revolution that could bring humanity’s ailing soil back to life remarkably fast. Growing a Revolution draws on visits to farms in the industrialized world and developing world to show that a new combination of farming practices can deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions to problems farmers face today.
Cutting through standard debates about conventional and organic farming, Montgomery explores why practices based on the principles of conservation agriculture help restore soil health and fertility. Farmers he visited found it both possible and profitable to stop plowing up the soil and blanketing fields with chemicals. Montgomery finds that the combination of no-till planting, cover crops, and diverse crop rotations provides the essential recipe to rebuild soil organic matter. Farmers using these unconventional practices cultivate beneficial soil life, smother weeds, and suppress pests while relying on far less, if any, fertilizer and pesticides.
These practices are good for farmers and the environment. Using less fossil fuel and agrochemicals while maintaining crop yields helps farmers with their bottom line. Regenerative practices also translate into farms that use less water, generate less pollution, lower carbon emissions—and stash an impressive amount of carbon underground. Combining ancient wisdom with modern science, Growing a Revolution lays out a solid case for an inspiring vision where agriculture becomes the solution to environmental problems, helping feed us all, cool the planet, and restore life to the land.
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Yvon Chouinard
Being a long time ‘doom bat’ regarding the fate of the natural world, I was given hope by Growing a Revolution that there is a real possibility of revolutionizing agriculture with the result of growing more food, employing people, and putting carbon back into the ground.”Nicolette Hahn Niman
Montgomery has the rare talent of making complex scientific topics not only understandable but truly fascinating. Growing a Revolution is both exceptionally enlightening and tremendously enjoyable. Highly recommended reading.”Denis Hayes
Brilliant, well researched, eloquent, and deeply hopeful.Paul Hawken
This is a Sand County Almanac of agriculture, a Walden of loam and tilth, a paradigm-bending journey into the principles that guide the life beneath our feet and thus the life that nourishes us.”Bill McKibben
In the past couple of years, an awful lot of smart people have started talking very seriously about the state of the planet’s soil. If you want to understand what’s at stake, and learn about the exciting possibilities, this book is a fine starting point.Hope Jahren
In his reader-friendly style, Montgomery describes the environmental crossroads at which we stand and shows us not only the devastation but the potential solution that exists right beneath our feet.Booklist
Surprising, inspiring, and thoroughly engaging. . . . Relevant to farmers, backyard gardeners, and everyone who cares about our future, this is a clarion call that should not be ignored.From the Publisher
"Montgomery's fascinating expos of how our food is grown will convince readers that soil health should not remain an under-the-radar issue and that we all benefit from embracing a new philosophy of farming." —KirkusLibrary Journal
04/01/2017Montgomery (geomorphology, Univ. of Washington; Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations) illustrates how following the three principles of conservation agriculture can prevent soil erosion, create fertile soil in a short period of time, keep soil cooler and moister, minimize pests and diseases, and save farmers money and time through using less fossil fuel and fewer insecticides and herbicides. Conservation agriculture is a "no till" or "low till" method, in which farmers grow cover crops and leave the crop residues on the field while using a sophisticated crop rotation system. Interviewing a wide range of scientists and farmers (those living or working in the Dakotas, Ghana, and Costa Rica, as well as at the organic farm at the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania), Montgomery shares their results, from research plots to actual farms. His findings demonstrate that after several years, farmers practicing conservation agriculture achieve the same or better results than those employing conventional techniques, especially during times of drought. He also investigates how livestock manure can fertilize the soil and how biochar can be an important soil amendment. VERDICT This fascinating, accessible, well-researched work will be of interest to all who are concerned with feeding the world's burgeoning population while protecting the soil and, ultimately, the environment.—Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL
Kirkus Reviews
2017-02-22An optimistic look at how regenerative farming can revive the world's soil, increasing food production, boosting cost effectiveness, and slowing climate change.For decades, big agribusiness has promoted quick-and-dirty farming practices that have profoundly worsened the health of the planet's agricultural land, a cycle enabled by the use of herbicides and pesticides. As a result, farmers across the world are seeing their efforts yield smaller crops and falling profits—never mind the environmental impact. Yet an often cited myth is that industrialized agriculture is the only option to keep up with a rapidly growing population. MacArthur Fellow Montgomery (Geomorphology/Univ. of Washington; The Rocks Don't Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah's Flood, 2012, etc.) combines decades of rigorous scientific research and firsthand experience to demonstrate that a common-sense, biology-based approach to maintaining soil health is key to reversing degradation. Importantly, the author emphasizes that such regeneration is not only possible, it's within reach for farms of any size and in any climate. In a compelling writing style that is more conversational than scientific, Montgomery recounts trips around the globe where he met the pioneering farmers embracing the soil health movement. Through their successes, the author elegantly connects the dots among no-till planting, the use of cover crops, letting cows graze, and other practices that have shown almost universal success in allowing farmers to dramatically increase crop yields and lessen the need for chemical additives. These practices also reduce the amount of carbon in our atmosphere. A wide-scale move toward regenerating soil health would truly revolutionize what we eat and who has access to it, and while nothing can happen overnight—especially when government subsidies reward farming practices supporting the status quo—the author is confident that change is afoot and that the future will be bright and green.Montgomery's fascinating exposé of how our food is grown will convince readers that soil health should not remain an under-the-radar issue and that we all benefit from embracing a new philosophy of farming.