P A Yeomans-Keyline in the Kiewa Valley (Mervyn Barton-Cosmorama) 1983
THE BIG POINTS P.A. Yeomans’ Keyline Plan is entirely revolutionary. The difference in approach is absolute. When appreciated fully, it must go down in history as a major contribution to the world. Here, it is in its infancy. When one becomes involved in it, one realizes more and more, that its scope is almost limitless. Conventionalism is quick to reach the point at which extra striving is rewarded by harder driving, and thus, diminishing returns. Alternatively, in Keyline, every expansion is a contribution to that which at present is. Perhaps, more than anything else, it spells in its fullest and grandest form Life. This ‘Life’ cannot, in fullness be, unless the comprehension on which it is born, is there, in the mind. It is for that reason that we, who live it, in sincerity present THE BIG POINTS. 1. Wholeness, which is Health in abundance. A 'oneness' which goes right through - the completeness on which health is dependent. The whole landscape in its entirety - its soil, its water, the air (and the movement of that air - wind). The togetherness of ridges, valleys, streams, trees, vegetation of all types. The dominance of the condition of the landscape on the vegetation it nurtures. Wholeness - from the soil and the life in it - to the vegetation and the life it supports - the air and water and all that is dependent thereon. Perhaps best expressed by the creed of the folk who once inhabited this land - ‘All Life Is One’. The white man says ‘Ecology’. 2. Soil. It must live and continue to improve by its own methods of regeneration. It becomes the dominant factor in making all decisions in agriculture. With all work directed to improve it, improvement of fodder and livestock will follow. 3. A Revolution in thinking. To grasp the meaning of Keyline, the old agriculture has to be completely forgotten. It has no hope of mixing with the new, or the very old. 4. Air is a trigger. Apply the finger as oft as you require its assistance. It will stimulate life in proportion to its ability to reach its destination. 5. Water is the agent that carries the air. Use it for this. Not to wet the soil. Water then becomes a soil developer, not a soil destroyer. View water as containing its own in-built work-force. Cut outside power to the minimum. If you think water hasn't all the power you need, view it in a flood. Turn the same state of affairs to work for you, not at you.
OCR scanned and converted in 2014 to a document by Geoffrey Booth for Keyline Archive. www.youtube.com/channel/UCUPgPJZAlkxt207sxcdp4DQ/about P A Yeomans-Keyline in the Kiewa Valley (13 min) 1981 www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz6vhoOg4Hc © Mervyn E Barton (03 Dec 1983). Uploaded with permission. Page 1 of 2
P A Yeomans-Keyline in the Kiewa Valley (Mervyn Barton-Cosmorama) 1983
6. Mixed Farming Always. Trees, Herbs, Grass, Fruit, Nuts, Vegetables, Animals, Birds, Fish, Worms, Insects. The fertility to produce the vegetation that sustains life in the soil and on it turns the perpetual wheel of wholeness. As an example: A beast that is thriving, supplies an ideal diet for the dungbeetle, that returns it to the soil rapidly, where the earthworm handles the operation of turning it to fodder for the plant, which feeds the soil by decay and the beast by growth. This just can't happen in orthodox, chemical, mono-culture farming, because worms and dung-beetles are non-existent where the chemicals abide, and roots cannot decay in the absence of air. Further, manure produced from poor food, is itself poor food for the next link in the chain. Therefore a deadlock exists at every connecting point. 7. Give away ‘Effect-chasing’. The ‘result-end’ treatment is constantly recurring. By positive thinking, it's incidental that ‘wholeness’ (health) follows. Sicknesses of plant and animal have no place in a healthy environment. Ban chemical sprays. They start a costly, never-ending rainbow-chase. Replace them with healthy soil. Chemical fertilizers at the most, are only starters. Before transporting any additives to your soil, first exhaust the avenues that can unlock abundant supplies, underneath it. Use unpaid labour to transport minerals a few feet before paying high cost of transport for many miles. 8. The Barometer of Successful Land Tenure. Moderation of the Extremes in Climate. Conventional land-use has harshened the extremes everywhere.* In this regard, consider Nature. The harshest plants, animals and birds exist in the harshest conditions. Therefore, an agriculture which tends to harshen, must breed and produce that which is in opposition to (what surely should be), its first aim - increasing biotic fertility. The only permanent way to breed and produce better agricultural products is by first improving their environment. Man has the ability to moderate the conditions, and thus improve the quality of all life, vegetable and animal, so might we say, that through Keyline, by moderating and improving the environment, its people might be thus affected. M.E. Barton Hon. Secretary Kiewa Valley Keyline Club. * The large-scale removal of trees from our landscapes has intensified summer heat and winter cold. But the strategic replacement of trees throughout the landscape, and increased storage of water in the soil, and in the farm dams, undoubtedly has a moderating effect on the climate.
OCR scanned and converted in 2014 to a document by Geoffrey Booth for Keyline Archive. www.youtube.com/channel/UCUPgPJZAlkxt207sxcdp4DQ/about P A Yeomans-Keyline in the Kiewa Valley (13 min) 1981 www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz6vhoOg4Hc © Mervyn E Barton (03 Dec 1983). Uploaded with permission. Page 2 of 2