When we think about the effects of agriculture on the environment, we never pause to reflect on the damage it creates to our ecosystem. You may not have known it, but it is intensive agriculture that is the greatest threat to planet Earth. The Fattoria Triboli farm, of Impruneta in Tuscany, was born with the intention of promoting regenerative organic agriculture to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and improve the ability of the soil to retain water.
Climate change and the preservation of the environment, in fact, are the most important challenge for the Triboli company, especially if we consider how the agricultural industry is capable of influencing atmospheric change. Precisely for this reason the company, producer of extra virgin olive oil, has found it necessary to intervene to change the methods and tools adopted by conventional agriculture by adopting a qualitative agriculture that no longer exploits the land and its natural resources.
Regenerating the soil: “Grab your spade”
To regenerate the soil, you need to boost organic carbon by providing the soil with minerals and fostering microdiversity.
One key practice of farmers who adopt Regenerative Organic Agriculture is no-till farming, where farmers use their spade more than heavier farm equipment, in some cases.
When equipment like tractors are overused in the same area something called “hardpan” forms. Hardpan is where the first few centimeters of soil become so dense and compact that it prevents air and water from permeating the soil.
When soil is not porous and aerated, microorganisms cannot do their job well, it is harder for roots to develop and only a portion of the water gets absorbed while the rest runs off.
So, this is why our mantra is, “Grab your spade”. Using no-till methods allows you to work the soil with greater awareness and prevent it from getting compacted.
We are aware that to work large tracts of land, you need more than just a spade, but you can also find a good compromise between alternating the two methods.
Don’t think that regenerative organic agriculture is anti-innovation and anti-technology. Actually, it strives to create innovative systems that do not upset the balance of ecosystems.
Regenerating Ecosystems: Biochar
If you want to regenerate an ecosystem, you need to limit chemical pollution by using natural fertilizers and pesticides, making compost or bio
char using farm scraps and through efficient management of local, naturally occurring water resources.
Biochar or plant carbon is the organic residue leftover after the anaerobic, high-temperature decomposition of organic matter.
It is obtained by heating matter that contains carbon, like straw or wood, in the absence of oxygen to obtain biochar, which is 90% carbon.
Did you know that plants absorb 3 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and transform it into 1 ton of plant carbon? Not bad, huh?!
In fact, biochar prevents CO2 from being released into the atmosphere and improves soil structure by boosting water retention and soil nutrition.
Regenerate Biodiversity: Cover Crops
Fostering and regenerating biodiversity means allowing different animal and plant species to coexist in an ecosystem in order to create a balance based on their interconnected relationships.
One Regenerative Organic Agriculture practice that improves biodiversity is planting cover crops.
What are cover crops?
Cover crops are plants chosen and planted based on the properties they will release into the soil when they are grown. When the plants reach maturity in the summer, the tops are cut off and left on the ground, creating a layer that protects the soil against moisture loss.
Cover crops are also chosen because, when they flower, they attract bee pollinators.
The aim is to cut the plants at the beginning of flowering so the bees can pollinate and the plants can release the right amount of nutrients, like nitrogen and carbon, into the soil.
The Fattoria Triboli has chosen, for example, on the use of ecological packaging. “The bottles for our oil are made from 60% recycled stainless steel, which is 100% recyclable. We use reusable wooden boxes to deliver our products. The labels of our honey and our soap packs are made of 100% compostable and biodegradable Crush or Grass paper ”, explain the top management of the company. In fact, to generate less waste and protect the environment, the Triboli Farm adopts the rule of the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
“We are inspired and driven by the goal of helping develop a more conscious society through the sustainable production of our products, sharing our know-how and creating a community that shares our core values.”
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