vimwiki/botany/four_course_rotation.wiki

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= Four course rotation =
The four course rotation is the ecologically sound system of husbandry used in
[[high_farming]]. It is a form of crop rotation
1) one year [[ley]]
- grow for one year
- let livestock graze from it
- allows for nitrogen to build in the soil
2) root break
- plant,
- turnips
- swedes
- potatoes
- mangold
- kale
- these increase soil fertility
- apply nearly all manure to this field
- called cleaning crops, as land must be hoed several times to plant in rows
- Also creates the crops to be eaten during the winter for feeding livestock
3) Winter cereal break
- plant,
- wheat
- beans
- barley
- oats
- rye
- All these crops are sown in autumn
- this is the primary "cash crop" or "staple food"
4) Spring cereal break
- Spring sown wheat or barley
- Undersow ley after placing the wheat and barley seed
- used crop for beer, feeding livestock, and making manure
Historically this method created 2 tons of wheat to the acre