Questions tagged [agriculture]
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24 questions
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Why do people produce corn and grains overall currently? Seems neither unsustainable nor profitable. Am I missing something?
(apparently there is not an agriculture substack so I'm asking here)
I am researching homescale production of grains and vegetables and when it comes to grains in general I keep scratching my head ...
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3
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How can I get rid of old agricultural plastic?
The previous owners of my land laid down AG plastic, which has deteriorated over the years. Unable to roll and every time I mow I cut into it and goes everywhere, including my neighbor's (it is on the ...
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145
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Can you replace chemical fertilizers with organic ones in a way that doesn't compromise food security?
Environmentalists advise us against chemical fertilizers and tell us to use organic alternatives instead. Sri Lanka tried to do that, and now its economy is in a total shambles (not only because of ...
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3
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Cost analysis of changing cow diet to lower methane emissions
Methane emissions by livestock are responsible for 14.5% of the global emissions. The number can be actually higher considering that methane is 84 times more potent than CO2 in a 20-year span. ...
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How to gravity feed differently sized rain collection tanks at equal rates?
I recently purchased two 300 gallon tanks to supplement my existing two 55 gallon barrels, allowing me to do some more legitimate rainwater harvesting. I've been really intrigued by manifold system ...
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1
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What is the difference between organic and syntropic agriculture?
What is the difference between organic and syntropic agriculture? I watched a few of videos on the latter but couldn't get the gist of it. Is it like planting crops among trees or something?
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If we can capture landfill gas, why can't we capture cows' burps and use them as a source of energy too?
If we can capture landfill gas, why can't we capture cows' burps and farts and use them as a source of energy too? It's the same methane after all
- 1,703
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Is it true that cannabis is not a sustainable recreational drug?
Is it true that cannabis is not sustainable, for example because of high water consumption? If so, what are more environmentally friendly alternatives? Magic mushrooms, maybe?
- 1,703
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Is advocating against genetically modified seeds anti-science?
Greenpeace is against GMOs, but some argue that it helped alleviate the hunger problem in developed countries through improved yields. Is advocating against genetically modified seeds anti-science? Is ...
- 1,703
2
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What is blue, green, and grey water?
What is blue, green, and grey water (example)? Is green water only rainwater? I came across words like "mostly rain", "predominantly rain", etc., so it's not only rain, is it? And ...
- 1,703
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Is being a vegetarian really environmentally friendly?
Livestock and manure produce 5,8% of global GHG. But releases from agricultural soils (N2O), crop residue burning, and rice cultivation (all are associated with plant farming) generate 8,9%. So is ...
- 1,703
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How can a purely vegan diet be the most sustainable?
There seems to be a growing consensus, that the vegan diet is the most sustainable for our environment on multiple levels, such as land use, water use and CO2.
There is some debate about whether ...
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Are soybeans mainly grown for animal feed or oil production?
In the great vegan vs. non-vegan environmental debate, a big point of contention is the topic of animal feed. Vegans argue that much of agriculture should be attributed to cattle farming. For instance,...
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Why western countries do not heavily tax beef imports?
I hear that Brazil slowly but surely burns the Amazonian forests (apparently already payed for by western countries) to make room for cows and supported cultures like soybean. This is obviously bad ...
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What are examples of perennial crops?
I just read this fascinating article on kernza, an alternative to wheat that is a perennial, rather than annual, crop. From the article, "Can This Breakfast Cereal Help Save The Planet?", this is ...
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What are the root and aboveground dimensions of a cotton plant at its largest? [closed]
I'm experimenting with optimal cotton growing techniques using the least amount of water required and plan on growing a cotton plant in simulated field conditions.
That said, I need a large enough ...
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3
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1
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Roughly, how much water does it take to grow 50 lbs of fodder for most dairy cows in the US?
I'm looking for a ballpark number. Obviously fodder can include more than just one crop (e.g., barley/corn or hay/straw), and that's why I am having trouble finding a figure.
Aside, I found that an ...
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6
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1
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UK - would there be any problem with keeping bees on a plot if the neighbours have horses
I am looking to get into beekeeping. I have a plot of land ~20x50m that I would like to put some hives on. There are multiple nearby fields with horses - minimum distance ~ 50m to nearest such field.
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6
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2
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992
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Carbon footprint of soy milk versus cow's milk
I am wondering about a specific carbon footprint comparison (i.e. total global warming potential per litre) between soy milk and cow's milk.
This would of course depend on where and how they are ...
- 3,322
3
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2
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How do greenhouses affect pesticide use?
Is the environmental impact of pesticide use on greenhouse crops substantially different from the impact of pesticide use in open-air crops?
I imagine that, at least in theory, a greenhouse should ...
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Can grass clippings be used for livestock feed?
I was at a university agricultural research farm and I noticed that sheep had maintained grass height on a pasture to less than 1 inch. I asked the person in charge if they used a lawn mower and he ...
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How much of dropped fruit is wasted? How much could be consumed, ideally?
Fruit might be dropped due to many reasons including premature fruit drop and disease.
I wonder how much fruit goes to waste which could otherwise be picked and consumed.
Are there any statistics ...
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Is there a sustainable agriculture certification that sees GMOs as potentially beneficial?
I keep dreaming of a certification body that has stringent and ever-evolving standards for a sustainable agriculture that looks after the environment and humans, with a rigorous but open mind when it ...
- 3,322
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Improving heirloom crops by selection (legumes, grains)
Short version
I want to know of methods (and devices) of selecting the biggest/heaviest bean and grain seeds from my garden, to re-sow the next season. I would like to hear from people that have done ...
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