Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> If the term 'compost' is used to describe decaying organic matter in the
> garden, whether it was originally in a compost bin, dug into the 
> ground, sheet composted, or added as mulch; then I'd say compost IS 
> the only way to grow organic food by the first above definition.

Most large operators cannot economically produce as we home gardeners 
do. The best they can do, and it is a good way, is to plant a cover 
crop that produces a large amount of plant material, and then at the 
appropriate time disc that into the soil.

We organic purists are unfair to the huge food producers. We can 
afford our attitude because food is abundant. If food were scarce or 
high-priced, then we would forgive any procedure that filled our 
bellies and/or cost less at the checkout counter. I think 
agribusiness could operate with fewer pesticides, but disappearing 
profits will not a crop get planted.

It is a conundrum. Nutrients out require nutrients in. Sun and rain 
are the only free ingredients of consequence. Mineral depletion must 
be countered with mineral addition. Nitrogen, phosphorous and potash 
are essential and if consumer health is reckoned in, then 
micro-nutrients are also essential. The only way to return to the 
soil that which leaves the farm as produce would be to do as the 
Chinese: sell concessions to collect city night soil and bring it 
back to the farm as fertilizer. The yuck factor precludes that today 
in our grand country. So we spend inordinate amounts of tax dollars 
on making sewage clean enough to send back into the ground or 
waterways and spend even larger amounts of wealth to feed the soil 
with chemicals. Such a system is unsustainable and is unhealthy for 
the soil and for the people.