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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Zachary Domike <zdomike@yahoo.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Move to Chem
  • Date: Wed, 12 May 2010 14:42:45 -0700 (PDT)

Hey Marty,
You might have to go further back and look at the international producers.
Before WWI, the Germans had the highest tech in many ways, and fertilizers
were promoted there, and in Britain, from the late 19th century.

Rudolf Steiner initiated Biodynamics in 1924 in reaction to the effects of
industrial fertilizers, the weakening of the plants and the death of soil
microbes from overstimulation, or 'fertilizer burn.' The war industries
turned their chemical plants to artificial fertilizer production and the
marketing was fostered by the war, as soldiers returned to the cities instead
of returning to the farm.

>From Wikipedia - "...fertilizer plants at Bramford, and Snape, Suffolk in
>the 1850s to create superphosphates, which were shipped around the world
>from the port at Ipswich. By 1871 there were about 80 factories making
>superphosphate."

..."the development of the Haber process from 1908 to 1912 made it possible
to synthesize ammonia (commonly used in chemical and pyrotechnic warfare as
well as some fertilizers), and in 1913 BASF started a new production plant in
Oppau, adding fertilizers to its product range. BASF also acquired and began
mining anhydrite for gypsum at the Kohnstein in 1917."

It was a good time to be proud to be of German heritage (as were my
ancestors) but that was reversed during two World Wars. Historically, Bd is a
compilation of the rural collection of 'old wive's tales' that formed the old
ways of agriculture in the south of Germany and Austria - but they lost the
wars, so have disappeared.

I think this explains why biodynamics (Bd) is underrepresented in the US.
Of course, the wine industry is leading the way with Bd today with extensive
prizes and recognition.

Woooooo!
Zack


From: Marty Kraft <martyk@allspecies.org>
> Subject: [Livingontheland] Move to Chem
>
> Hi
>
> I am looking for a one page reference of how, after WW II,
> the chemical companies took over agriculture schools and got
> rid of the
> biological/ecological people and shifted agriculture as it
> was practiced. I want this to present to elected officials who
> are very
> busy and can't read the whole story even thought they
> should. We are
> working on code revision in KC.
>
> Thanks
>
> Marty







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