Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

from paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
-----------
Quotes from Understanding the Soil Processes
http://www.rain.org/~sals/Petrik.html

The production of humus is a complex process. In general cyclic substances 
like phenol groups and also other like organic acids and vitamins (humus is 
also related to crude oil) are polymerized with help of enzymes,like phenol 
oxidase. These cyclic compounds are both from plant parts(like lignin) and 
are also produced by the microorganisms. Mostly fungi, actinomycetes 
(Streptomycets) seem to be responsible for humus formation. Aspergillus, 
Pisolithus, Rhizoctonia, Streptomycets are only but a few examples of 
microorganisms actually capable of synthesizing cyclic(aromatic) compounds 
and form them into humus from non-cyclic materials.

It is impossible for man to produce stable humus synthetically. Man can 
properly cultivate the field, supply organic matter and so encourage the 
development of stable humus in the soil. Soil with stable humus must always 
be protected to maintain the fertility and productivity of the soil.

The production and maintenance of stable humus in the soil should be the 
primary goal of every farmer. Good stewardship of the land is necessary to 
protect and maintain mankinds most important asset, fertile soil.

For nearly one hundred years soil science in most schools of higher learning 
(especially in agricultural colleges) has been primarily concerned with the 
physical and mechanical aspects of soil structure. Biological thinking has 
become a major concern only in the last few years.

The new approach considers not only the physical properties and mineral 
structure of the soil,but also the process by which organic matter is 
transformed into humus by microorganisms.
---------

Many farmers are imprisoned in a way of thinking that is only concerned with 
levels of chemical fertilizers and must be re-educated to begin considering 
the biological processes occurring within the soil. Balanced soil fertility 
is a condition which cannot be measured by chemical or physical tests. The 
farmer who strives to maintain the bio-organo-mineral complex in correct 
balance in his fields can achieve the hightest agricultural production levels 
as a result of these biological processes.

Today's popular chemical tests of soil do not tell anything about the 
decisive life processes. They are merely a yardstick of the mineral content 
of the soil and do not help farmers in knowing how to treat the fields for 
future productivity and healthy corps. The whole process misses the basic 
point that the true purpose of agriculture is to recycle life to capture the 
life factor from decomposing organic material and channel it into new growing 
plants. It is only by doing this that vital healthier life can be maintained 
in plant, animal and man.

When the farmer decides to begin a biologically balanced fertility program, 
soil analyses show minimal values of nutrient reserves and indicate that 
large amount of fertilizers should be applied to meet the needs of the crop. 
However, after a few years of successful biological farming, analyses can 
show high residual levels of available nutrients, although the farmer has not 
used any chemical fertilizers during that time.

The absurdity of conventional chemical thinking is revealed in the mistaken 
notion that larger quantities of nutrients will continue to result from the 
aid of chemical fertilizers. But the truth is ,that by the activity of 
microbes, the nutrients are biologically enriched, accumulate in the pores of 
the soil aggregates as swarm ions, and will become available to the growing 
plants. The farmer who implements the balanced fertility program can achieve 
needed levels of nutrients in the soil in a less expensive way, can achieve 
the highest possible yields, and a higher quality harvest. By using the wrong 
fertilizers, excessive chemicals and heavy machinery we are destroying our 
soil, our filds, our farms and our future.

Plants supplied with this kind of nutrient require less water. This assures 
the biological farmer a significant saving of water in the production of 
crops, an especially important consideration in arid zones and in dry seasons 
elsewhere.

We cannot outwit Nature. Nature does not allow a wasting or loss of living 
matter in the restless process of mineralization the procedure for 
impregnating the soil solution with the mineral elements required for plant 
growth. In the final stage of decomposition the remmants of plasma still 
contain the essential elements of the life processes. These remnants are then 
transformed into soil plasma in the process of producing stable humus.

Stable humus is the crucial center, the focal point of the life cycle. 
Adhering to farming practices that assure the production of stable humus thus 
becomes the farmer's main objective.