French intensive truck garden

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5722069· OSTI ID:5722069

Edwards, T D

The French Intensive approach to truck gardening has the potential to provide substantially higher yields and lower per acre costs than do conventional farming techniques. It was the intent of this grant to show that there is the potential to accomplish the gains that the French Intensive method has to offer. It is obvious that locally grown food can greatly reduce transportation energy costs but when there is the consideration of higher efficiencies there will also be energy cost reductions due to lower fertilizer and pesticide useage. As with any farming technique, there is a substantial time interval for complete soil recovery after there have been made substantial soil modifications. There were major crop improvements even though there was such a short time since the soil had been greatly disturbed. It was also the intent of this grant to accomplish two other major objectives: first, the garden was managed under organic techniques which meant that there were no chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides to be used. Second, the garden was constructed so that a handicapped person in a wheelchair could manage and have a higher degree of self sufficiency with the garden. As an overall result, I would say that the garden has taken the first step of success and each year should become better.

• Research Organization: Edwards (Thomas D.), Butler, KY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG44-80R410251
• OSTI ID: 5722069
• Report Number(s): DOE/R4/10251-T1; ON: DE84000377
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
EFFICIENCY
FOOD
GARDENING
HANDICAPPED PEOPLE
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MINORITY GROUPS
POPULATIONS
SOILS
VEGETABLES