Preserving our agrarian heritage

On page one of this newspaper is a great photograph of islanders proudly showing off the new community no-till seeder. The seeder was used on Saturday to plant about four acres of hay in a field adjacent to the Jamestown Community Farm, just off of Eldred Avenue.

The no-till seeder was recently purchased through a fund-drive organized by the Conanicut Grange. The seeder is available for use by all island farmers. Many islanders contributed to the cause and a major chunck of the money was donated by the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce from the proceeds of its annual "Night at the Farm" dinner-dance event several years ago. The seeder was too expensive for any one farmer to purchase.

According to Bob Sutton, who heads up the allvolunteer effort at the Jamestown Community Farm, the no-till seeder concept is simple. The device allows the farmer to "stitch" the seeds into the field without having to plow and disturb the grass cover.

Soil quality is often degraded by cultivation. Soil is also lost to erosion and the humus is broken down when fields are plowed. By using the no-till planting method, soil quality is preserved and there is less opportunity for invasive weeds to sprout, which means that herbicides won't be needed - an ecological blessing for Narragansett Bay.

Hopefully, the no-till method will allow for an improved hay crop. On Saturday, the farmers planted Smooth Brome Grass as a test crop. When the hay is harvested, George Neale will use the grass to feed his herd of Belted Galloways, an heirloom breed of beef cattle often seen grazing on the east side of North Main Road.

Like the recent island-wide effort to preserve two Jamestown family farms, the no-till seeder is a great example of our community's dedication to keeping alive our agrarian heritage.

That's a big benefit for all of us.