Netherlands and farming (ancient, Spanish, conquer, years)

[Sand&Salt]

I read that the Netherlands started to drain seawater and build dykes and barriers starting back in the 1600s.

I also read that soil salinization is a major cause of societies collapsing.

It would seem that soil from the sea bed would be inherently salty. Yet they seem to farm very successfully, from way back then.

Thoughts? (or should this question be in the Gardening forum, LOL)

[theoldnorthstate]

William of Orange was fighting the spanish or the sea I guess. built dykes and pumped water over the wall. enriched and built the soil. then built another dyke and did the same. windmills with archimedes screw. canals and such. pretty interesting to see.

compost and organic fertilizer as in cow poop were the big pluses.

[Sand&Salt]

Originally Posted by theoldnorthstate

William of Orange was fighting the spanish or the sea I guess. built dykes and pumped water over the wall. enriched and built the soil. then built another dyke and did the same. windmills with archimedes screw. canals and such. pretty interesting to see.

compost and organic fertilizer as in cow poop were the big pluses.

Thanks! I didn't realize salinity could be overcome by any means. You hear about the ancient conquerors "salting" the land to prevent any future farming....

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

Thanks! I didn't realize salinity could be overcome by any means. You hear about the ancient conquerors "salting" the land to prevent any future farming....

Thinking this through, salting the earth probably involved destroying all existing food stores as well. Therefore, with the crop cycle interrupted for several years and with no food reserves, the population was starved out.

In the Netherlands, the workers who fertilized and in doing so diluted the salinity of the soil, and who probably grew crops like clover during the interim, could live off the productive land on the other side of the previous dyke.

That's my theory.

[OberonKing]

Originally Posted by Sand&Salt

I read that the Netherlands started to drain seawater and build dykes and barriers starting back in the 1600s.

I also read that soil salinization is a major cause of societies collapsing.

It would seem that soil from the sea bed would be inherently salty. Yet they seem to farm very successfully, from way back then.

Thoughts? (or should this question be in the Gardening forum, LOL)

I think they devoted a lot of the recovered land to livestock, like dairy, etc.. There was a sort of an 'agricultural revolution there in the 11 century or roundabouts.


Interesting topic. I know the Dutch were practicing four field crop rotation, including the above mentioned clover, much earlier than the rest of Europe, but I'm sure when they started.