Page 101 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 8

FARMING GOD'S WAY

soil temperatures over 65 rains before plowing. After their
degrees and you can imag- first plowing, they then have to wait
ine how much evaporation again, as the soil dries out so rapidly
takes place under these ex- because of the poor infiltration and
tremes of heat! evaporative losses. After receiving
Leave the two runoff trays enough rain for planting, they then
used in experiment 1 in the have wait again for at least 2-4 days
sun for 5 hours and then before they can get their workers or
compare the evaporative tractors into the fields as otherwise
loss. it just becomes a quagmire. This is
The soil in the convention- an expensive and wasteful exercise.
al tray dries out quickly and When we turn to Farming God's
the soil from the hammer action of becomes hard like a clay Way, we are able to prepare our
the raindrop by absorbing the im- brick and cracks. fields for planting by digging our
pact like a shock absorber. When The soil in the Farming God's Way holes well before the first rains so
the raindrop’s kinetic energy is dis- tray, with 100 percent continuous we will not waste any of God’s pre-
persed, the water gradually moves surface cover of God’s Blanket, cious gift. After the rains, we are
down to the soil surface, through which shades the soil surface, is able to get into the fields almost im-
the blanket and because there is no moist and cool. The blanket signifi- mediately, with no negative effects,
crust, it is rapidly absorbed. Once cantly reduces evaporation from the because the soil is undisturbed and
the water reaches the unplowed soil and is a major benefit to Farm- holds its structure. Therefore, we
soil, it rapidly infiltrates down the ing God's Way success stories, even save our first rain and are able to get
many insect, earthworm and root under drought conditions. in to plant much sooner.
channels, just like a sponge. In this In the next article we shall continue
way, we receive the gift of God and 5) Cooler Soil Temperature Better with the “Twenty Reasons Why We
very little moisture is wasted. So the for Seedlings Do The How” Meanwhile be sure
reasons why the Cedara experiment Cooler soil temperatures can be to be on time for the coming rainy
showed a 94% infiltration rate is be- a negative initially, as this causes season from the middle of Septem-
cause of the absorption of kinetic slower germination and early growth ber. Finish the harvesting on time
energy of the raindrops by God’s when compared to plowed lands, and start preparing the farm to plant
Blanket and the sponge-like soil but remember that the cropping before the first rain.
conditioning by the living organisms cycle is 5 months long not 2 weeks,
and from not plowing. so be committed to the long term Stay joyful!
impacts.
4) Evaporative Loss Once the seedlings are established
Experiment 3: Evaporation and have pushed through the blan-
The 10% of the moisture that in- ket they flourish and overtake neigh- Source material: Farming God’s
filtrates plowed soil is open to very boring fields within the first 3 weeks Way Trainer’s Reference Guide.
high surface temperatures because after emergence as they have ideal Dryden, G.W., 2009.
of the heat of the sun, causing signifi- temperatures for root establishment.
cant moisture losses through evapo- 6) Don’t Waste the First Rain
ration. We have measured surface Most farmers wait until the first

WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 8 | SEPT/OCT 2020 101