Veganic Agriculture Network

Chipped Branched Wood (CBW)

GoVeganic — 2009-06-01T16:30:53Z

Table of contents

Chipped Branch Wood is a fertility system using small branches and twigs of deciduous trees to bring nutrients to the soil. Byproducts of the forestry industry can be used to create stable humus and living soil on agricultural lands.

Basic Overview

When hardwood tree branches decompose on a forest floor, a stable and enduring humus is created. The lignans in the branches are slowly broken down by naturally occuring fungi, and these fungi also play a vital role in the soil food web, serving as nourishment for microorganisms.

Chipped Branch Wood (CBW) imitates this natural cycle in an agricultural context, creating a longer lasting humus than would result from typical amendments of manure or compost, and helping to establish an active, living soil.

A significant amount of nutrients are stored in the twigs and small branches of trees, with a higher concentration in the branches with the smallest diameter. With the CBW technique, twigs and small branches up to 7 centimeters (2.75 inches) in diameter from deciduous trees are chipped into smaller pieces. They are then applied as a mulch or incorporated with the top layer of the soil, where they are slowly broken down by fungal activity. Coniferous plants are avoided, as the lignans do not readily break down, and green leaves are also avoided, as they inhibit the decomposition of the CBW.

The impact of CBW is aggradation (the opposite of degradation). CBW is arguably the most successful technique for reestablishing or maintaining fertility in agricultural soils and developing a stable humus. One of the major advantages is that the fungi present in CBW help create a balanced soil food web. CBW attracts certain microorganisms which feed on the fungi, and these in turn nourish other microorganisms, which in turn render nutrients available to growing plants.

History

Chipped Branch Wood was initially explored in the 1970's in Quebec, Canada, when the Land and Forest Deputy Minister, Edward Guay, began searching for uses of the waste products of the forestry industry. A group of Forestry Scientists at Laval University in Quebec City, headed by Gilles Lemieux, did extensive research into the agricultural benefits of CBW.

Initially called Bois Raméal Fragmenté (BRF), most primary resources about Chipped Branch Wood have been written in French. The term has been translated into English as Chipped Branch Wood (CBW), Chipped Ramal Wood, and Ramial Chipped Wood (RCW). The technique has been gaining popularity in Europe, especially in France, though is still relatively uncommon in North America.

Detailed Resources in English

The Vegan Organic Network in the U.K. has a 12-page document about Chipped Branch Wood that is available to download on their website. This document describes how to make and apply CBW:

http://www.veganorganic.net/images/sheet9.pdf

Laval University published a document Regenerating Soils with Ramial Chipped Wood through the Department of Wood and Forestry Science, summarizing the original research:

http://www.sbf.ulaval.ca/brf/regenerating_soils_98.html

Gilles Lemieux, the primary researcher of Chipped Branch Wood, published a paper in French about his findings. An English translation of this 66-page document, entitled Fundamentals of Forest Ecosystem Pedogenetics: An Approach to Metastability through Tellurian Biology, is available to download online:

http://www.crdi.ca/en/ev-54691-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

Additional Resources in French

(Basic translations of French websites, though somewhat inaccurate, can be obtained through internet resources like http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ )

The following article in Ekopedia lists the main people involved in the Chipped Branch Wood movement from around the world, along with their websites, contact info, and blogspots: http://fr.ekopedia.org/BRF:Les_acteurs_majeurs

Elea Asselineau's website from France, http://www.lesjardinsdebrf.com/ provides an overview of the techniques, plus links to farmers and gardeners who use Chipped Branch Wood, links to related websites and resources, and a blogspot about Chipped Branch Wood, http://brfdelarbreausol.blogspot.com/

De l'Arbre au Sol: Les Bois Rameaux Fragmentes is a detailed 190-page introduction to Chipped Branch Wood, written by Elea Asselineau and Gilles Domenech. The book is currently published only in French, and is available for purchase online.

The book Le BRF, Vous Connaissez? Pour une (agri)culture du vivant was written by Jacky Dupety and published by Editions de Terran. It is only published in French and is available for sale on the internet.

Certified Stockfree-Organic - U.K.

GoVeganic — 2008-05-18T15:22:10Z

Stockfree-Organic standards were developed in the United Kingdom by the Vegan Organic Network, and the farm inspections are carried out by the Soil Association Certification Ltd. The standards were produced by gathering feedback from interested individuals and groups from around the world. It is now possible to become Stockfree-Organic Certified in North America.

The book Growing Green acts as a complement to the Stockfree-Organic standards, and greatly elaborates on the techniques of plant-based farming. It is a useful reference guide for anyone who is interested in becoming Stockfree certified, or anyone who is interested in pursuing plant-based farming and gardening.

Stockfree-Organic Certification is for farms that grow organically without the use of manure or the by-products of confined animals. The Stockfree-Organic symbol, pictured above, indicates to consumers the high ethical standards that were followed in the production of their food.

To grow organically, the farmers must refrain from using certain substances, including pesticides, herbicides, and GMO's, or using techniques that will damage ecosystems. They also minimize their reliance on off-farm inputs and non-renewable resources. The farmers aim to provide habitats for animals in the area, and use techniques that are beneficial for the environment.

With stockfree agriculture, the farmers have additional standards. They cannot use animal inputs on their farm, such as manure or slaughterhouse by-products like blood meal, bone meal, fish meal, and feather meal. The farmers also use preventative measures, like physical barriers, to deal with competing species, and they are not allowed to intentionally kill or hurt any animals on their holding. Stockfree farms encourage environmental conservation, wildlife, and biodiversity.

The standards also ensure that the farms protect the soil quality, through techniques that promote soil fertility, soil structure, and biological activity. The farms must work toward long-term fertility, by adding organic material to the soil. Stockfree farmers use green manures, composts, mulching, and crop rotations, with as much fertility as possible being produced on the farm itself, rather than relying on off-farm sources. The tilling of the soil is discouraged, because it disrupts the soil structure. Certain rock powders and soluble fertilizers are permitted, but only as a supplement to other fertilization practices. Many other off-farm inputs are restricted if they may have come in contact with contaminants like feces, pathogens, heavy metals, or GMO's.

It is recommended that Stockfree-Organic growers use seeds produced on their own lands, but they are permitted to buy organic seeds.

The standards also work to minimize environmental pollution. The farmers are compelled to use renewable energy sources, re-use and recycle waste materials, and buy and sell products as locally as possible. Packing materials are chosen with consideration to environmental and health impacts, and non-essential packaging is discouraged.

Efforts are made to ensure that Stockfree food is not contaminated. There must be sufficient buffer zones or hedges if the farm is close to sprayed fields. During the harvest, storage, transportation, and distribution, there are standards in place to minimize the chance of contaminated or mis-labeled produce.

Stockfree growers must keep detailed and accurate records of production, outputs, crop records, rotations, seeds, and fertilization plans.

Click here to learn more about the standards in detail. This PDF of the Stockfree-Organic standards includes a detailed explanation of the requirements and principles, and also a list of the recommended, permitted, restricted, and prohibited activities on Stockfree farms.

In North America, there are two certification options that are largely based on the stockfree standards. Check out the articles on 3rd party Stockfree-Organic and Certified Veganic to find out more.

Our plans

GoVeganic — 2008-05-15T22:41:11Z

To promote veganic agriculture in North America, these are our plans:

Make an internet discussion group for people who are interested in veganic agriculture.

Create a website, www.goveganic.net, where people can learn about veganic principles, techniques, and resources.

Centralize the available internet resources about veganic agriculture for easy access.

Contact veganic farms in North America, and profile the projects of veganic farmers.

Create connections with organizations that have an interest in animal protection, organic agriculture, and sustainability.

Print pamphlets and information sheets to introduce people to the concept of veganic agriculture.

Promote veganics at eco fairs and veg events through talks, stands, and distributing pamphlets.

Encourage farmers, gardeners, and consumers to get involved in the development of the veganic movement.

Future goals:

Organize veganic gatherings to share knowledge and information.

Make a film about veganic farms in North America.

The soil food web

GoVeganic — 2008-05-15T18:57:03Z

There is more life in the ground than above in the ground. Healthy soil is flourishing with microorganisms, and the complex interactions between the flora and the fauna create a soil food web. This diagram shows a simplified version of the soil food web with the different organisms that are found in a healthy environment:

To see this diagram full-size, click the image at the bottom of this page and zoom for more detail.

Some growing techniques disrupt the balance of the soil food web. Pesticides, for example, are purposely designed to kill organisms, and they destroy part of the soil food chain. In conventional agriculture, chemical fertilizers are used to directly feed the plants, but at an expense: the chemical fertilizers do not feed the soil, and the microorganisms do not have the nourishment they need.

In organic growing, the idea is that by feeding the soil, the soil will feed the plants. Organic fertilizers contain an array of decaying matter that act as food for microorganisms. The soil food web creates fertility by decomposing this organic material. The microorganisms break down part of the organic matter into a state that is accessible to plants, providing the plants with nourishment; and part of the organic material is transformed into humus, which improves water retention and lessens the leaching of nutrients. The microorganisms also improve the overall fertility simply by moving through the soil, creating tunnels and glueing soil particles together. This allows for better aeration and drainage, less compaction, and the movement of nutrients within the soil.

Even with veganic agriculture, some techniques upset the balance of the microorganisms. With tilling, because the soil is turned, the microorganisms are suddenly buried or brought to the surface, and tilling can destroy fungal growth and worm tunnels, which both help with the long-term sustainability of the soil. Bare soil is prone to erosion and nutrient leaching, and creates an uninviting habitat for microorganisms. By using mulch instead of tilling, the delicate balance of healthy soil can be preserved.

To learn more about the soil food web, check out the book Teaming with Microbes, along with the detailed summary and description of the book.

It's started!

GoVeganic — 2008-02-29T17:08:07Z

We are in the process of launching a new network, the Veganic Agriculture Network, to promote plant-based farming in North America.

During the next few weeks and months, we will be making significant updates to the website, including profiles of veganic farms in North America, and information about veganic growing techniques.

Check back for more updates.

Our mission

GoVeganic — 2008-02-27T05:45:07Z

The Veganic Agriculture Network is a new movement in North America to promote the production of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals without the use of artificial substances nor the use of animal products. We promote sustainable, low-impact, plant-based farming and gardening.

Following the lead of the Vegan Organic Network, which has promoted plant-based agriculture in Europe since 1996, we aim to bring more information about these techniques and principles to a North American audience.

Our mission is to

Connect people who are interested in veganic agriculture so they can share knowledge and ideas. We created a yahoo group to facilitate discussion.

Support farmers and gardeners who are changing to veganic methods, and publicize options for certification.

Make the wider population aware of the possibility to grow veganically.

Explain the global context of veganic agriculture, in relation to the environment, food, and animal protection.

Protecting the environment

GoVeganic — 2008-02-25T16:48:36Z

A report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation concludes that the world's livestock industry generates 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is even more than the transportation sector. The use of animals in agriculture, as a whole, also leads to water contamination, topsoil loss, and decreased biodiversity. Veganic agriculture uses animal-free techniques, greatly reducing CO2 emissions and environmental contaminants.

This article will be expanded shortly.

Protecting animals

GoVeganic — 2008-02-25T16:47:41Z

While many organic farms use animals products like manure and blood meal as fertilizers, veganic farms do not include any animal products in their growing practices. For those who are concerned about animal protection, choosing veganic food is one more way to express this ethic.

An incredibly effective way to help animals is to change our diets. In the past century, meat consumption has increased dramatically, and the methods of raising animals have become highly mechanized and profit-oriented, leading to extreme confinement and suffering for animals. Many people who are interested in animal protection have opted to reduce or eliminate animal products from their diets.

For those who are concerned about animal protection, especially vegetarians and vegans, choosing veganic food is one more way to express this ethic. Even when growing vegetables and fruits, modern conventional farms use techniques that destroy animal life and reduce biodiversity, such as pesticides, insecticides, and chemical fertilizers. On organic farms, even though chemicals are not used, vegetarian food is often grown in the waste products of animal farming. The word "organic" indicates that the fertilizers come from organic sources: while it's possible to choose plant-based organic materials, frequently organic farms choose materials like manure, bone meal, blood meal, and fish meal.

Veganic agriculture provides an alternative, fertilizing the food without the use of animal products. For those who prefer not to contribute to animal agriculture, veganic farming is a way of growing food that is completely separate from animal industries, applying the same ethical principles to farming that apply to a vegetarian diet.

Growing Green - Organic Techniques for a Sustainable Future

GoVeganic — 2008-02-25T16:45:47Z

The complete guide to animal-free organic gardening and farming.

See online : Chelsea Green Publishing

HALL, Jenny and Iain TOLHURST. Growing Green - A farmers handbook. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2007, 320 p.

Introduction to veganics

GoVeganic — 2008-02-25T16:44:35Z

Veganic agriculture is an approach to growing food that encompasses a respect for animals, the environment, and human health. Also known as "stockfree" "vegan organic" and "plant-based," this is a form of agriculture that goes further than organic standards, by eliminating the use of products that are derived from confined animals and by encouraging the presence of wild native animals on the farmland.

Organic farmers are currently permitted to use animal products as fertilizers, such as manure, blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, and fish emulsion, but these animal products are often obtained from intensive farms and slaughterhouses. Not only does large-scale animal farming have a heavy impact on the environment, most modern farm animals are kept in highly confined conditions and are exposed to a variety of contaminants. Veganic agriculture breaks the link between livestock operations and the production of organic plant-foods by maintaining fertility using plant-based techniques.

Like organic agriculture, veganic doesn't use the following products:

No pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides)
No chemical fertilizers
No genetically modified organisms (GMO)

In addition, veganic agriculture doesn't permit the killing of animals, nor the use of products derived from confined animals:

No blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, fish meal, fish emulsion, shrimp compost
No manure

Instead, veganic agriculture uses plant-based techniques for fertility:

Mulch
Vegetable compost
Green manure
Chipped branched wood
Crop rotation
Polyculture
And all other techniques that are sustainable and don't rely on the exploitation of animals.

Beyond that, veganic agriculture seeks to demonstrate a more sustainable way to farm, with reduced dependence on fossil fuels. As much as possible, veganic farmers produce their sources of fertility directly on the farm. The veganic maxim is that by feeding the soil, the soil will feed the plants. By adding organic plant-based materials to the soil, this produces rich living soil that is bountiful with microorganisms, which in turn feed the plants and create long-term fertility. Veganic techniques aim to replenish biodiversity of plants and animals, and veganic growers are dedicated to the care of the wild ecology that surrounds and makes up their farmland.