Taka’s natural farming senior thesis at college

I found some old photos from college years along with some senior thesis photos of seedball experiment.

The main topic of the research was restoration of native plants using seedballs in previously rangeland, which did not give much findings, but the opportunity to study natural farming gave me much better understanding of this farming style and my commitment to farming in harmony with nature.

A great natural farming book by Mr Masanobu Fukuoka. Natural farming continues to inspire so many people to farm in natural way.

A photograph of seedballs and the ingredients (seeds, soil, clay water, etc). First pre-measured ingredients are mixed together with water and rolled into balls. Smaller basket of many balls are dried seedballs, which turns lighter dry mud color.

Clay-soil mixture gives protection from birds and insects and also hold the ball together. The dried balls are rock solid. Seeds are protected in the clay ball.

After a substantial rain seedball dissolves. Moist seeds are still protected by a layer of clay from predators and drying. Soon after, seedlings emerge from the seedballs.