The Hedge That Pays Twice How vetiver grass and its mulch cut farm costs and keep crops alive when the weather turns extreme Ask any farmer what has changed in the last decade and you will hear the same answer…
A new quick-reference sheet on choosing the right layout — and a request for corrections A farmer has a patch of low, wet ground where only rice will grow. He plants a contour hedge across it, because a hedge is…
The Vetiver and Water foundation note — and why the order matters Ask most people what vetiver does and they will say it stops erosion. That is true, and it is the wrong place to start. Everything a vetiver hedge…
A reader’s guide to the Vetiver Hedge Mechanisms standard, for members who do not build slopes for a living Our design standard guide Vetiver Hedge Mechanisms now runs to a hundred pages and eighteen annexes, and parts of it are…
Reading the Land from Space — A Compendium on Satellite Imagery and Field Evidence for the Vetiver System Guide to the seven documents, and the order to read them This compendium brings together what a land-restoration program can and cannot…
On hikes that passed through wine-producing regions in Europe, scenes like those pictured below prompted thinking about how the Vetiver System could benefit vineyard owners around the world. Wine grapes want slopes – for drainage, for sun, for the cool…
THE VETIVER ADOPTION PARADOX Understanding Why Farmers Don’t Use What They Know Works Part of the Global Farmer Demonstration Program series Introduction This post builds on our recent article Become a Farmer-Researcher: Six Vetiver System Models to Transform Your Farm,…
An Invitation to Farmers and Other Vetiver Users Choose Your Path, Document Your Journey, Share Your Knowledge What if the greatest agricultural research wasn’t happening in laboratories, but on your farm? What if farmers like you—working the land, observing the…
Vetiver Phytoremediation – The Mechanisms Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) removes agricultural and waste water (sewage) pollutants through four integrated biological mechanisms operating simultaneously. (1) The foundation is its massive vertical root system reaching 3-4 meters depth, creating enormous surface area…
Comprehensive Assessment of Staple Grains, High-Value Perennials, and Vegetable Crops Under Rising Soil Temperatures—and the Vetiver Solution The Crisis Beneath Our Feet While the world fixates on rising air temperatures, bare degraded soil now reaches 43-50°C during peak sun versus…