Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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

Most interesting. It always comes back to the reason I started this, to
learn more from others and pass it on. Those interested please do check out
Aliza's references for more on this. 

Not having soil tests done and without long experience, I believed adding
aged manure, natural minerals, and alfalfa meal would feed the soil biology
what it needed. Yet no one could be more surprised at the taste and
productivity of these veggies, or the praise from others. Nothing else
grows for miles around in this soil but rabbit brush and junipers. We
haven't got around to shelling out for a refractometer yet. 

paul tradingpost@lobo.net


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 9/15/2007 at 10:13 AM Aliza wrote:

>While the measurement is of the sugars, plants bind minerals to the
>sugars.  The more sugars the more minerals.  That is why high brix veggies
>taste so much better and have much higher nutrient levels.  the added
>bonus is that high brix veggies are much less prone to insect attacks,
>molds and fungus.  A good high brix fruit will shrivel and dehydrate
>instead of mold on your counter.  If you want to learn more about this you
>can contact the folks at high brix gardens, Jon Frank at www.aglabs.com or
>Thomas Giannou at http://www.tandjenterprises.com.  There is also a yahoo
>group that deals with brix and both Jon and Thomas are on it.   Both these
>guys really understand soil biology and the way that plants uptake
>nutrients.  Read the work of Arden Anderson or Albrecht for a more
>unbiased view.  
>
>Remember that the types of carbs in vegetables differ greatly from the
>carbs in grains.  Your body would be very happy if you never ate anymore
>grains (phytic acid and the insulin response is really hard on our
>systems) but would be very sad if you never ate another veggie:o)
>
>Aliza
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: E. E. Mitchamore Jr 
>  To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing 
>  Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 2:55 AM
>  Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] brix/ was vitamins, minerals and taste
>