In the 20's and 30's, Victor Schauberger in Germany was asked to study why some farmers, usually the poorer ones on smaller lots, were getting better crop results than their richer neighbors. It seems the poorer farmers usually used a plow made of wood or copper as opposed to the "new" steel plows. Apparently the plow material made a difference, with copper being the best as far as the resulting plant growth. Also the poorer farmers were plowing the rows north/south in direction, and not in a straight line. These two features apparently maximized light exposure. In addition, the poorer farmers plowing contained larger clumps of dirt which prevented wind and water erosion.
Offered by Steve.