Principle No. 1
If there is one aspect that accumulates all alternative farming methods to conventional ones, it is the recognition of the importance of soil organic matter.
Conventional agriculture has thought for years that it had found a shortcut, revolutionizing the concept of plant nutrition. It has replaced the input of organic matter, including in the form of manure or mature compost, with chemical fertilizers.
In 1840, the German chemist Justus Von Liebig discovered that plants can take up the minerals they need for their nutrition, in soluble form, thus through soil water, and not necessarily through humus. This discovery gave birth to the chemical fertilizer industry.
Over time, “feeding” the soil through chemical fertilizers became the practice, much easier and cheaper than composting. This quickly led to soil depletion, increased disease and groundwater pollution.
For years some scholars tried to warn of the negative consequences of this “revolution.” However, they were largely ignored, as the future now seemed destined for chemicals, and those who opposed this view were considered out of time.
It is important to reflect on this phenomenon and understand its causes, because history, as is often the case, should teach us not to repeat mistakes.
The main factors that favored the use of chemistry include:
- Green revolution:chemical fertilizers were thought to be the key to solving world hunger.
- Science and technology:were increasingly being used as authorities, legitimizing the use of chemicals.
- Results immediacy messagesand the resulting advertising campaigns.
- Creating a culture of dependence:agricultural enterprises seemed unable to do without these new tools.
- Image of modernity and progress:new products were presented as the future, while those who continued to use organic matter were seen as anachronistic.
The intensive use of chemical fertilizers inevitably led to the depletion of soils, as it was soon realized that this approach neglected other essential elements, such as organic matter. This imbalance reduced microbial biodiversity, which is essential for soil health, and accelerated the degradation of its structure. In addition, the accumulation of salts and acidification caused by synthetic fertilizers compromised the soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients. Over time, the soil became less fertile and increasingly dependent on further fertilization, creating a vicious cycle of environmental depletion and degradation.
The importance of organic matter: some famous quotes.
Today we see numerous speakers in seminars extolling the importance of organic matter as if it were something new. This seems to me to be an unappreciative attitude because no one remembers what was said over a century ago! Instead, in honor of these “pioneers,” I would like to recall some famous phrases that are often quoted today:
- “Maintenance of soil fertility is the first condition of any permanent agricultural system.”– Albert Howard (1900-1940)
- “Soil health cannot be preserved by chemical fertilizers, but only by practices that restore organic matter and promote microbiological life.” –Hans Muller (1920-1930)
- “Soil fertility comes from soil life itself, not from chemical fertilizers. Only organic farming can adequately nourish the soil.” –J.I. Rodale (1930-1950)
- “Plowing and the use of chemical fertilizers deplete the soil and its ability to support long-term life.”–Edward H. Faulkner (1940-1950)
- “Organic matter in the soil is essential for maintaining its health and preventing the depletion of natural resources.”–David Pimentel (1950-1970)
- “Organic matter in the soil is the soul of the earth. Without it, the soil becomes dead, unable to nourish plants.” –Rudolf Steiner (1924)
Alternative methods and soil fertility.
Alternative methods to conventional see the natural fertility of the land as the main means of doing agriculture. Some of the pioneers of these practices have been:
- Bill Mollison (Permaculture): “The health of the soil depends on the health of its organic matter. Without it, the soil becomes barren and unable to support life.”
- David Holmgren (Permaculture):“Fertile soil is that which contains a good amount of organic matter. Without it, there is no healthy agriculture.”
- Ernst Götsch (Syntropic Agriculture):“In syntropy, organic matter is essential. It is through compost and green manure that the soil becomes enriched and fertile, supporting a complex ecosystem.”
- Masanobu Fukuoka (Natural Agriculture):“Natural agriculture is nothing more than a return to living soil, rich in organic matter, which nourishes both the plants and the soil itself.”
- Ruth Stout (No-Tillage Agriculture):“The earth is like a sponge: if we leave it covered with organic matter, it will retain moisture, nourishment and life.”
- Jean-Martin Fortier (Synergistic Agriculture):“Whenever we put something in the soil, it should be something that nourishes it, that enriches it with organic matter.”
- Eliot Coleman (Organic and Synergistic Agriculture):“Soil fertility is not just a matter of nutrients. It is the life itself in the soil that needs to be nourished, and this can only be achieved by supplementing organic matter.”
- Vandana Shiva (Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity):“The secret to fertile soil is to feed it with organic matter. Depleted soil can never support life.”
Nature and the cycle of life.
Soils, particularly litter, contain most of the living biomass on our planet. Darwin was not wrong when he said that “soils in nature are regularly plowed by earthworms“!
In nature, healthy soil can host about one billion micro-organisms per gram. Soil is self-fertilizing through a process composed of macro- and micro-organisms, both plant and animal, working together.
The primary goal of theMANMethod is to ensure the soil’s natural fertility through practices that support the life of the fauna and microorganisms living within it. Farming practices should keep the soil well aerated, slightly moist, porous and able to retain water without being subject to erosion or leaching. They should imitate the three phases that occur in nature.
- Mineralization:supply of minerals to plants.
- Reorganization:Ensuring the continuous cycle of nourishment for fauna and microorganisms.
- Humification:Nourishing the soil itself through humus formation.
Fertile, self-sustaining soil integrates all three of these stages without depending on chemical fertilizers. This process is like a symphony in which each note is fundamental.
The Practices of the MAN Method
TheMANMethod aims to create a strong, balanced and self-sufficient agricultural ecosystem capable of naturally resisting pests. This is achieved by creating an environment that is also favourable to their natural predators. Some of the principles of the MAN Method include:
🌱1. Avoid Excessive Soil Disturbance (No-Till or Minimum Tillage)
🍂2. Increase Organic Matter in the Soil
🌾3. Cover Crops
🐞4. Promote Biodiversity
💧5. Natural Water Management
🦠6. 🍃 Nurture Soil Microbial Life
🛡️7. Avoid Artificial Chemical Inputs
🌍8. Design in Harmony with Nature
📊9. Monitor and Adapt Continuously
🤝10. Education and Collaboration
We are faced with the need to implement a virtuous system that combines various sustainable agricultural practices, an approach that cannot be reduced to a few simple operations. It is not enough to administer manure or horn manure just once, nor to simply practice green manure: it is essential to activate a set of integrated operations that are part of a broader vision of agricultural management.
We also need to understand the effects of each individual practice. To better illustrate this concept, let us consider the practice of incorporating freshly cut grass into the soil. This practice certainly adds fresh organic matter rich in readily available nitrogen. However, it is important to recognize that freshly cut plant material has a relatively low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, which leads to specific dynamics:
- Rapid decomposition of organic matter
- Accelerated action of decomposing microorganisms
- Production of nitrate, readily available to plants
- Fast plant response, but this does not always translate into higher quality
- Potential loss of nitrogen during heavy rainfall
A quite different practice might be the use of wood chips. In this case, the contributed organic material has a high C/N ratio, slowing decomposition. The microorganisms that break down lignin and cellulose compete with the soil for available nitrogen, and initially the nitrogen is “immobilized” by the microorganisms themselves. This means that, during the initial stages, nitrogen is less available to plants. However, over time, the organic material continues to decompose, releasing nitrogen in the form of ammonium, which is more suitable for tree and shrub plants.
In summary, we have two agricultural practices whose effects may be different:
- Chopping annual grasses: provides readily available nitrogen, especially in the form of nitrates.
- Wood chipping: contributes long-term, initially immobilized nitrogen, which will be released as ammonium in the later stages of decomposition.
Therefore, they are two completely different effects that need to be well managed in our agricultural system.
The use of manure is also a practice that needs to be applied with experience, care, and a clear strategic vision suited to the context. First of all, it is important to know what kind of manure is best to use (it is assumed that it is well composted!). There are five main types of manure: cattle, sheep, horse, pig and arvicultural, each with specific characteristics. Of these, cow manure is generally considered the most balanced and stable, but I prefer horse manure for my farm for the following reasons:
- It contains a good amount of minerals and especially phosphorus and potassium.
Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K)
- 🐄 Cattle manure 0.5 – 1.5% 0.2 – 0.5% 0.5 – 1%
- 🐑 Sheep manure 1.5 – 2% 0.3 – 0.6% 0.5 – 0.7%
- 🐎 Horse manure 0.5 – 1.5% 0.3 – 0.6% 0.6 – 1.0%
- 🐖 Pig manure 1.0 – 1.5% 0.5 – 1% 0.6 – 1.0%
- 🐔 Pollen 3.0 – 5.0% 2.0 – 3.0% 1.0 – 2.0%
- It is ideal for clay soils, as it makes them softer and more airy due to the presence of raw fiber that is not fully digested
- It keeps, therefore, the soil vital and active, improving aeration (which is very useful for our soils, which are certainly not light)
- Promotes the development of beneficial microorganisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, by improving the bioavailability of nutrients
- It contributes to the formation of stable humus, which is critical for long-term soil fertility (in fact, its isoumic coefficient 0.7-0.9 is among the highest, higher than bovine coefficient 0.6-0.8 making it ideal for improving soil porosity and aeration)
- Stimulates spontaneous grassing due to the presence of weed seeds, which is particularly useful in natural vineyard management
- It is gentle on plants, unlike other types of manure, such as manure
- Does not acidify the soil, as pig manure can do, for example
- Adapts perfectly to the physiological cycle of the vine, supporting the critical stages of growth and fruiting
- Stimulates flowering, probably due to the balance of nitrogen and carbon, which promotes flower production without stimulating excessive vegetative growth at the expense of fruit formation
- It is ideal for combining withwood chips, further improving compost quality
The chemical composition of horse manure is perfect for vines:
- The nitrogen content is not excessive, however with a good share in organic form, thus avoiding too much vegetative growth, which could compromise cluster quality
- Balance in phosphorus promotes root development and shoot differentiation
- Potassium content supports fruit ripening, improves resistance to water stress and disease, increases organoleptic quality of grapes
- The high carbon content (due to coarse fiber) is essential to enrich soil organic matter
- The C/N ratio, generally between 25:1 and 30:1, promotes slow and steady mineralization of nutrients, avoiding excessive nitrogen releases that could unbalance the plant
In conclusion, I hope I have conveyed the importance of caring for, developing and preserving soil organic matter and natural soil fertility, which are also primary goals of the MAN Method. Modern agriculture can rediscover this ecological vision by looking to the past. Soil fertility is achieved through a combination of interconnected practices, many of which will be explored in greater detail in the following articles. In this article, we have focused on composting and, above all, on the use of horse manure (a by-product), which plays a fundamental role in stimulating microbial activity, improving soil structure, increasing the soil’s capacity to retain nutrients and water, and promoting healthy, productive plants. Large quantities of manure are not required in vineyards, but it is important to apply it, where appropriate, at the beginning of November (if soil conditions allow), so that it can decompose slowly throughout the winter. Applying compost should be the first real act of the new agricultural season. It is no coincidence that agricultural sharecropping agreements were traditionally made at this time of year.
In the next article, we will elaborate on the practice of permanent ground cover
Stay connected!!!