by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: April 20, 2009   Last Updated: June 15, 2011

Climate change affects all farming, whether it is organic farming or regular farming with pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Good farming depends on good soil, a dependable weather system, and knowledgeable farmers. When any of these are out of sorts or are missing in some respect, food growing will be somewhat altered. Climate changes are more noticeably evident today because of an overabundance of greenhouse gases. What then are the ways in which unexpected climate changes alter farming, especially organic farming?

Droughts

Nothing will grow without water. A well planned farm with everything in place for a bountiful crop of tomatoes, as an example, will grow extremely well with the right amount of water and good soil drainage. A generous amount of compost to an already viable soil and an initial mixing in of a 10-10- or an 8-16-16 fertilizer - organic of course - will be what the good farming practitioner prescribes for a healthy yield. The listing on the fertilizer package is, left to right, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

The gardening show begins: The seedlings grow, show promise and get planted in the soil. A good soaking with a gentle water hose and a hopeful crop of delightfully named tomatoes are on their journey to your table. Unless, days of no water means you have to water manually and this is an unexpected chore. No rain and the baking the earth from a hot sun all day stunts the plant growth.

Water is needed. A good rain fortunately rescues these tomatoes and the root system draws in soil nutrients and both the soil and the weather, including lots of bright sunshine are in harmony. Yet, if the tomatoes get too much water they will end up at harvest time bloated with water and tasteless. Of such seasons it will be said by farmers to have been a bad tomato season. On the other hand, just the right amount of water and many sunshiny days produces gorgeous tomatoes that will bring a hefty price at the market place and will please palates at the dinner table.

Excessive winds and tornadoes

Seasons with an unusual amount of thunderstorms and heavy rains will wreck dainty gardens and will uproot plants. The sturdier ones that survive will get an extra boost from the nitrogen produced during these electronic blowouts making this a positive effect from this kind of weather. On the other hand, much topsoil may be blown away by too viscous winds and the harsh effects of the force of the rain will cut gullies and furrows in hillside and sloping gardens. In fact, the topography of the land itself may be changed.

Not only are plant life changed with climate changes but so are the animal kingdom. Farmers who raise cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens, etc., for food are at the mercy of the weather likewise. If droughts wreck fields of hay, then the price for next years animal feed will be higher. Water may be less plentiful and extra will have to be brought in and this is an added cost. And then, with so much thunderous activity, you have a less happy bunch of animals and life on the farm will be somewhat less pleasant for all involved.

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