Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Zachary Domike <zdomike@yahoo.com>]

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