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  • From: Neil Bertrando <neilbertrando@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] [soilandhealth] Organic matter percentage
  • Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:05:45 -0800

I forgot to add this link. One person who's coordinating some great
scientific work in this field is Dr. Christine Jones in Australia.

Here's a link to one of her articles that I think is very informative about
topsoil formation. written in 'layman' terms, not a scientific paper.
also, on the list of soil forming factors, she doesn't include sunlight,
rather infers that that is part of the process.

http://managingwholes.com/new-topsoil.htm

Also another link on soil carbon work being done. scroll down to the
articles section.

http://www.amazingcarbon.com/

there is much more available in this field. as mentioned in another
thread. Holistic management. also, of course Keyline Design has rapid
topsoil development as one of it's main design strategies.

more on this if needed.
neil

On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 6:43 PM, Neil Bertrando
<neilbertrando@gmail.com>wrote:

> I'm not convinced that selling animals off the land will lead to soil
> degradation. This generalization needs some context clarification.
> specifically I would like to look at what actually builds SOM and nutrient
> resevoirs. SOM is generated by plants and microbes mostly. very little is
> generated by animals, although they participate in the cycle in a very
> significant manner.
>
> Nutrient resevoirs are generated in a variety of ways, and this topic is
> very diverse and detailed. so i think it deserves a more detailed look
> than saying we cannot export animals (or other products) off of our farms.
> that drastically decreases any economic income options from farming.
> there may be some need on some farms to import specific nutrients. the
> import mechanisms can be varied from trucking in supplies to animals,
> plants, and microbes bringing them in to wind and weather. much of the
> nutrients come directly from microbial action on soil minerals.
>
> One example of someone who is deepening and uppening soil while exporting
> animals is Joel Salatin in Virginia, USA. I'm sure if anyone is
> interested, we can share many many examples of this type of farming and
> ranching.
>
> If more details are needed, that can be shared as well. suffice it to say
> that we do need to consider management and balance on a farm economy and
> ecology when designing and running ecological soil building farms.
>
> Neil
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 3:53 PM, John D'hondt <dhondt@eircom.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> Of course there is these days at least in Europe. When an animal dies on
>> farm you must have it collected by a special knacker firm at high cost. No
>> worries, the system can't last much longer.
>> john
>>
>> This brings up a question: When livestock die on a farm or (particularly)
>> a
>> ranch, do ranchers leave the body in place (maybe covered with a bit of
>> mulch or straw as cover matter) and allow it to feed the soil, feed the
>> vultures, etc? That's what I would want to do. And that's what would seem
>> most logical from a permaculture standpoint, but I could see there being
>> some kind of regulation against it in our hyperregulated society.
>>
>> jenny
>>
>>
>> John D'Hondt wrote:
>>
>> "...On the Midwestern Prairies grazers died or were eaten on the spot by
>> predators and so left the nutrients captured in their bodies in place."
>>
>> * * * * * * *
>>
>> Jenny Nazak
>> Austin Permaculture Guild
>>
>> Still haven't taken a Permaculture Design Certificate course?
>> What on "EARTH" are you waiting for?
>> TWO spaces left in Winter/Spring 2012 course! www.austinperm.com
>>
>> "Permaculture is the art of maximizing beneficial relationships."
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