Using inorganic straw on no dig farm

by Lindsay
(Puddin Foot Farm, Idaho)

I have a small organic farm that I would like to put into no-dig/till, but have not been able to find any naturally grown straw...I have heard stories of other farmers trying mulching with non-organic straw and had plants die, also I feel like it isnt fair to our CSA members due to we advertise 100% organic on the farm.
I can access organic Alfalfa, but I undertand it wont work as well. Do you have any ideas?

PS. At the momment I have no room to grow my own straw or I would. That would be my plan down the line.

Thanks,

Lindsay

Comments for Using inorganic straw on no dig farm

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May 01, 2011

Alfalfa is called Lucerne
by: Eugene

Some parts of this world use the name alfalfa, for lucerne, so it's the same. It's very good for the garden, makes a perfectly acceptable mulch and rots downs to provide good nitrogen and other nutrients.
Organic means organic, so stick to that and don't get hung up on following instructions to a T. With gardening if you don't have something, then improvise! Use what is available rather, such as old sacks, leaves, brush, waste corn husks/stalks, pea straw, grass and so on, as long as you know you're not putting anything but tiny amounts of harmful chemicals back into nature's factory. (It's near impossible to avoid tiny scraps of chemicals these days, but nature can deal with that without being overwhelmed and poisoned).

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