What's the Permaculture's Secret to Good Water Management on Farms?

Hi guys, I decided to make a complimentary video to the most recent video on water management in agriculture and water management in permaculture. Scott has shouted out in the comments that he expected a more thorough comparison with cons and pros of each water management system. Thank you Scott for this suggestion. So let's get into it. I'm going to pose a stupid question at the start and hopefully you will see the significance of it later. And the question is, do we irrigate mature forests or do we irrigate forests? To understand the water management differences in both fields, we need to understand first how important the correct soil structure is for irrigation, for it to be effective. So the soil structure influences water movement, distribution and retention. Well-structured soils with good aggregation and pore spaces facilitate water infiltration to the root zone, ensuring uniform distribution and preventing runoff. This supports optimal root growth, water retention and reduces evaporation losses. So proper soil structure also helps prevent water logging by ensuring adequate drainage. So by considering soil structure in irrigation planning, we can enhance water use efficiency and promote healthy plant development. So imagine a field that is regularly ploughed in a modern agricultural system. Ploughing involves turning over and breaking up the soil. So the subsoil, instead of remaining below the topsoil, is now turned around and this disrupts the natural structure and composition of the soil. Number two, ploughing leaves the soil surface exposed, making it more vulnerable to erosion by wind and water. Number three, ploughing contributes to water loss through increased evaporation from the exposed to the sun's soil surface. And number four, ploughing also disturbs and destroys soil microorganisms that contribute to nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition and overall soil fertility. And number five, continuous ploughing can lead to soil compaction, especially if heavy agricultural machinery is used and compacted soils have poor aeration and water infiltration, which can negatively impact plant root development. On the other hand, in permaculture, we try to minimize or avoid ploughing. You might be thinking, what? Like, then you have to, how do you even cultivate on difficult soils? And let me stop here because this is a really interesting phenomenon. We've learned that ploughing can lead to the breakdown of soil, change its structure and basically lead to a collapse. It also may expose the organic matter contained within the soil and cause too rapid decomposition, leaving plants with no available nutrients. You might hear that ploughing is essential for compacted soil and that by turning over the soil, you allow the air to enter. But there is nothing more misleading. No form of ploughing is justified in permaculture as the soil composition and structure must remain intact. If we are dealing with difficult soils, we employ a series of strategies to improve the soil. And the only plough that is accepted in permaculture is the Yeoman's plough invented in Australia or Wallace soil conditioner, which is another version of the Yeoman's plough in the United States. So this is because the plough doesn't turn around the soil, but it leaves crevices in the soil, allowing air to come in without disturbing the soil structure and layout. And to use this equipment in an efficient way and correct way, you'd have to consult with a permaculture designer and consultant like me, because you'd ideally move the tractor with plough in appropriate direction on the landscape along the true key line of the land. So in permaculture, we wouldn't plough in a conventional way. We would only work on improving the soil structure. And that's the main difference in terms of point number one. Number two, permaculture seeks to maintain ground cover and reduce the risk of soil erosion, helping to retain valuable topsoil. So we would cover the soil with mulch or living mulch, which is ground cover like clover. Number three, permaculture aims to conserve water by using mulches, ground covers to retain soil moisture. And number four, instead of killing microorganisms, we would feed them with organic matter. In exchange, they help us with the decomposition process and they help to deliver nutrients to plants. And number five, apart from the above points, which all contributes to having a nice, spongy, rich topsoil, I can also mention companion planting that helps to break the soil compaction. Some plants have deep roots that help break up compacted soil layers, like, for example, daikon radish, while others may have positive impact on soil microbial activity, improving soil structure, for example, comfrey. So to be honest, if you apply just one or a few of the above strategies, you are already so far ahead of other farmers in terms of improving soil condition, which ultimately leads to better water retention in soil, which is precisely our goal. But let's move on. Another difference in agricultural approach to water management is a big reliance on groundwater reserves. It is thought that groundwater can be accessed continuously, unlike surface water from rivers or lakes, which can be seasonal or subject to variations in precipitation. So it is believed that water can be pumped as needed, especially in areas facing water scarcity. But this is very misleading, as sooner or later, the groundwater reserves can be seriously depleted. So in permaculture, we try to minimize the use of wells when we start our farming journey, to eliminate it in the long run in favor of using the rainwater. As showcased in the last video, this can be done by a variety of techniques such as swales on land, not steeper than 18 degrees. We can have dams and ponds and cisterns and rainwater tanks. And by catching and storing rainwater for later use, we help to recharge groundwater reserves instead of depleting them like it's done on agricultural farms. And another difference between the two systems is that there can be serious long term environmental and ecological consequences as a result of applying agricultural practices. In the last video, I mentioned agricultural runoff, which refers to the movement of water, carrying with it various pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and sediments from agricultural fields into nearby water bodies like rivers, lakes and streams, degrading aquatic systems. So what's the conclusion? Good water management strategies like we see in permaculture are the tools helping us to minimize external inputs like we see on agricultural farms. Such as pumping up groundwater, flooding the fields or plowing the soil and wasting resources. So even with good strategies like trying to catch rainwater and use it for irrigation, we won't be able to achieve the overall balance of the systems if we don't change the foundations which our food production system is built on. So I'm talking about covering the soil, not exposing it to sun and winds, and I'm talking about adding organic matter to the soil instead of using fertilizers. And lastly, I'm talking about incorporating beneficial plants, helping the cash crops to grow well. Well, I hope you have found this video useful. Smash the like button if you did and subscribe if you haven't already to not miss any future content. Thank you so much for watching. See you soon in the next video.