"I propose that Vermont agriculture find a way to be kinder and gentler to the Earth upon which we live," writes Jack Lazor, owner/operator of Butterworks Farm.
He continues, in the opinion piece published online in September 2016: "We need not all become organic overnight, but we do indeed have to become truly sustainable. If we can show the rest of the world that we as a state can raise the average organic matter of our farm soils by even as little as 1 percent, we will make an enormous contribution to slowing down the climate chaos we have all come to know."
But how?
"This feat can be accomplished in our present system without major changes to our dairy infrastructure. Stirrers and bubblers can be installed in manure lagoons to add oxygen to the contents and create a type of 'liquid compost.' Soils with increased carbon content can hold a lot more water in dry periods and wick away the excess water in wet periods. Healthy soil is a win-win for everyone."
Read the column on VT Digger »