​DO-NOTHING FARMING
PRINCIPLES
NO PLOWING / NO FERTILIZING / NO WEEDING / NO PESTICIDES / NO PRUNING TREES
Natural Farming is based on 5 main principles. Read more about them below.
The source of the principles on this book: The One-Straw Revolution (Masanobu Fukuoka, October 1975)
NO PLOWING
In natural farming, the soil is not something to be broken open, but something to be trusted.
Plowing is traditionally used to control weeds, incorporate organic matter and prepare the ground for cultivation. In natural farming, however, these same functions are entrusted to natural processes. The soil is understood as a living system — structured by roots, microorganisms, fungi, insects and water — all of which work together to create fertility when left undisturbed.
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By avoiding plowing, the natural structure of the soil is preserved. Fungal networks remain intact, microorganisms continue their work uninterrupted, and the soil maintains its ability to retain water, air and nutrients. Over time, this leads to a more stable, resilient and self-regulating ecosystem.
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Instead of mechanical disturbance, natural farming relies on surface coverage, plant diversity and time. Roots penetrate the soil naturally, organic matter accumulates on the surface, and life below ground gradually builds fertility from within. What appears at first as “doing nothing” is in reality a deep form of cooperation with the land.
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No plowing is not a rigid rule, but a direction. It asks the farmer to observe carefully, intervene less, and allow the soil to express its own intelligence. Through this approach, the land becomes healthier, erosion is reduced, and cultivation aligns more closely with natural rhythms.
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In choosing not to plow, natural farming chooses continuity over force — trusting that the soil knows how to prepare itself when given the space to do so.
NO FERTILIZING
In natural farming, fertility is not something to be added from outside, but something to be allowed to emerge.
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Conventional agriculture often relies on fertilizers — synthetic or organic — to feed plants directly. Natural farming takes a different view: plants are not fed, the soil is. And when the soil is alive, balanced and undisturbed, it already contains everything plants need.
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By avoiding external fertilization, natural farming trusts the natural cycles of decomposition, regeneration and exchange. Fallen leaves, plant residues, roots and microorganisms continuously transform organic matter into nourishment. Nutrients are released slowly, in harmony with the needs of plants, rather than forced in concentrated doses.
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This approach prevents dependency. When soil becomes accustomed to external inputs, it can lose its own capacity to self-regulate. In contrast, soil that is left to nourish itself develops resilience, structure and a stable fertility over time. Plants grown in this way tend to root more deeply, adapt better to their environment and grow in balance rather than excess.
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“No fertilizing” does not mean neglect. It means observing carefully how fertility is built through diversity, ground cover and time. It means allowing natural processes to replace human intervention, and understanding that richness arises from relationship, not supplementation.
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In choosing not to fertilize, natural farming steps out of the logic of constant addition and embraces a quieter confidence: that life, when supported rather than pushed, knows how to feed itself.
NO WEEDING
In natural farming, weeds are not enemies to be eliminated, but signals to be understood.
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What are commonly called “weeds” are simply plants that appear where the soil and conditions invite them. Each one plays a role: protecting the ground from erosion, drawing minerals from deeper layers, feeding microorganisms, or indicating imbalances in the soil. To remove them indiscriminately is to silence a language the land is speaking.
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By avoiding weeding, natural farming allows the soil to remain covered and alive. Plant diversity creates balance, shades the ground, regulates moisture and supports a complex web of life both above and below the surface. Over time, this living cover helps stabilize conditions and reduces the dominance of any single species.
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Rather than fighting plants, natural farming works with succession. As soil health improves, the plant community naturally changes. Some species disappear on their own, others take their place. What matters is not control, but relationship — observing which plants appear, when they arrive, and what they reveal about the land.
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“No weeding” does not mean abandonment. It means choosing understanding over force. Sometimes plants are gently redirected, sometimes paths are cleared, but always with attention and respect for the larger system.
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In this way, natural farming transforms weeding from an act of conflict into an opportunity for dialogue, allowing the land to heal itself through diversity and time.
NO PESTICIDES
In natural farming, pests are not treated as invaders to be eliminated, but as part of a larger living system seeking balance.
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The use of pesticides — whether synthetic or natural — is based on the idea that certain forms of life are mistakes. Natural farming starts from a different understanding: when an ecosystem is simplified or stressed, some species proliferate as a response. What appears as a “problem” is often a sign of imbalance rather than an enemy to destroy.
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By avoiding pesticides, natural farming allows relationships between plants, insects, microorganisms and predators to unfold naturally. Diversity creates resilience. When many species coexist, no single population dominates for long, and natural regulation emerges through complexity rather than control.
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Plants grown in living, balanced soil tend to be stronger and more adaptive. Their natural defenses develop fully, making them less attractive or vulnerable to excessive insect pressure. At the same time, beneficial insects, birds and microorganisms are given the space to perform their role as natural regulators.
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“No pesticides” does not mean ignoring damage or pretending challenges do not exist. It means responding with observation instead of reaction. It means asking what conditions gave rise to the situation, and how the system can be supported to rebalance itself over time.
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In choosing not to use pesticides, natural farming affirms a fundamental trust in life: that health arises not from elimination, but from relationship, diversity and patience.
NO PRUNING TREES
In natural farming, pruning is approached with great care, and often avoided altogether.
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Pruning is commonly used to shape plants, control growth and direct energy according to human expectations. Natural farming instead asks a quieter question: what happens if the plant is allowed to express its own form and rhythm? When left unforced, plants tend to grow in ways that reflect their environment, their genetics and the conditions of the soil.
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By avoiding pruning, the natural structure of the plant is respected. Branches grow according to light, wind and space, creating a balance that is often more resilient than any imposed shape. The plant distributes its energy where it is needed, develops stronger tissues and adapts organically to its surroundings.
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“No pruning” does not mean never touching a plant. It means refraining from shaping, correcting or forcing growth according to external ideals. In certain moments — especially with young trees — minimal, thoughtful intervention may be used to support healthy development. The guiding principle, however, remains restraint rather than control.
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In natural farming, form follows life. By stepping back, the farmer allows plants to teach how they wish to grow. This approach reduces stress, increases vitality and deepens the relationship between human presence and plant intelligence.
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Choosing not to prune is an act of trust: trusting that life, when not constrained, knows how to organize itself with harmony and strength.
