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market-farming - Re: Mineral Dusts (was Remineralizations)

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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflondon AT mindspring.com>
  • To: market-farming
  • Subject: Re: Mineral Dusts (was Remineralizations)
  • Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 09:54:08 -0500


On Fri, 03 Mar 2000 01:20:19 -0500, Dave Miller <recycler AT eclipse.net>
wrote:

>What do you think of the efficacy in using the various rock dusts
>available? (short and long term).
>
>I appreciated your support of gypsum and will look into Soft Rock
>Phosphate and Black Rock Phosphate. As I am a small organic grower and
>vegetarian, I appreciate ALL SOURCES of organic means (though I will
>leave the various bone and animal meals to others).
>
>Do you have suggested sources for the products mentioned?

Dave:

Fertrell has Idaho BRP and Florida RP (not the soft kind - those mines
are shutting down, I think - too slow release)> The current FRP
Fertrell offers is quicker release then the Idaho BRP but both have
the attributes Peg mentioned in an earlier post (see the M-F archives
- do a search). They also have New Jersey Greensand and many other
products.

As for other sources of rock dusts, all you have to do is locate all
the rock quarries in your vicinity and find a trucker to haul for you.
These quarries have several products that are either free or very
cheap ($5-8/Ton).
These materials are as follows:
1)
rock screenings (of a specific grit or "mesh") usually used as
construction base for patios, etc. also is mixed with other
ingredients in the making of asphalt blacktop
usually $5-8/ton
2)
pond fines - dredgings from the siltation ponds at the quarry -
this material ranges from less than 200 mesh to less than 90 mesh -
i.e. extremely fine (almost can't see the particles) - IOW
dirt, for all practical purposes, and very fine dirt at that -
much finer than sand, some as fine as silt loam, some as fine as clay
loam (but particles are a different shape and drain extremely well).
This material is already broken down very far and will dissolve
through natural action readily to release its mineral components
to your garden soil. Apply all you want.
Some pond fines have unbelievable qualities that can improve the tilth
of hard soils rapidly. Try some and you will see what I mean. Have you
ever noticed how well the weeds grow in and beside crushed rock
driveways? These pond fines are a mineral rich amendment that
all growers should use if that have access to it. It is usually free
for the hauling; quarries have been known to pay to have it hauled
off.

See the Remineralize the Earth website for more on ordinary rock
powders. http://remineralize-the-earth.org/



Lawrence F. London, Jr. Venaura Farm
intergarden.com InterGarden
metalab.unc.edu/intergarden InterGarden
metalab.unc.edu/permaculture PermaSphere
metalab.unc.edu/intergarden/orgfarm AGINFO
lflondon AT mindspring.com london AT metalab.unc.edu



  • Re: Mineral Dusts (was Remineralizations), Lawrence F. London, Jr., 03/03/2000

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