Being Green Sometimes Means Not Being So Green

I just spead my first chemical fetilizer on my pastures since owning this farm . . . Up until now we have just spread manure both in the fall and in the spring. It wasn't my intention to use any commerical product, but after walking my pasture last week and seeing that it really didn't have the vigorous growth as the neighboring hayfields on our property (two things have probably cause this: I overgrazed these pastures a little and we had a very dry early spring), I knew I needed to do something a little radical.

This thinking may be where I differ from other people who practice "green" living in their households and horse owners who have stustainable stables . . . I am willing to lose the battle occasionally to win the war. I wrestled with the dilemma for several days asking myself if not applying the fertlizer because of my moral "green" obligations would be the best green solution for our farm. I know from my years of writing about lawn care for the home section of our local newspaper that the best defense against weeds and drought in a lawn is a bed of vigorous grass. I'm sure the same is true for pastures. Weak stands of clover, orchard grass, alfalfa and other pasture grasses are very vulnerable to weeds and viruses. Therefore, I concluded that a little chemical fetilizer now would help to make these pastures stronger and would help them remain vital for years to come . . .

And isn't sustainability the ultimate goal of what we're striving for by being "green"?