Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Soilsecrets@aol.com]

Mark,

 

First, I spent 3 months of my young adult life with Fukuoka and he was a master scientist who was adamant about understanding the true science of life.  He molded my understanding of soil chemistry, biology, geology and physics along with plant physiology, giving me the ability to see a bigger picture.

 

Second, the discovery of the protein - Glomalin actually occurred back in the 1920's despite the USDA ARS wanting to give credit to a more recent date.  The understanding of how Glomalin is derived and its naming via the genus of mycorrhizae Glomus is the 1996 date.  Regardless, the understanding of microbiology, bacteria and fungi is understood well enough to  say that those bacteria and fungi that are mutualistic to plant roots and associated with the root soil articulation can only be derived by growing them on roots of a host plant.  You cannot grow those specific microorganisms in a compost tea as that is not the correct environment.  Therefore trying to sell the virtues of a compost tea based on its microbiology is misleading to the consumer and to those hoping for that benefit.   I will also point out that in my business world, I've encounter countless organic farmers, golf courses, resort hotel casinos, and city parks departments all over the United States that bought into the compost tea program and suffered  financial losses (some huge) because of problems caused by the compost tea. I've seen this happen over and over again to say with confidence  - beware of the compost tea bandwagon.  Of course I've also seen compost screw up a landscape which is why I always say "Garbage in equals Garbage Out"  when making compost.  Quality control and ingredients in making the compost is so important and is often the most ignored aspect of this agenda.  If you're going to make a leachate (compost tea) of a compost and you don't know the history of the parent material, how it was made, or who made it, then how can you expect good results.  I expect success on purpose not by accident. 

 

I'm a scientists yes, but I'm also a farmer and owner of one of the largest agricultural entities in the Southwest and the Four Corners and I'm totally organic and always have been. 

 

"Success on purpose, not by accident"

Dr. Michael Martin Melendrez